Numerisesta

Numerisesta is a proposed interdisciplinary field that studies the role of numbers and numerical systems in human life. It seeks to understand how numbers influence thinking, communication, decision making, and social organization across education, finance, technology, and culture. The field adopts a broad definition of "numbers" to include traditional counting systems, statistical representations, graphs and charts, algorithmic processes, and numeric language.

Etymology and status: The term appears to be formed from the Latin numerus "number" and a suffix akin to those used in some European languages, something like -sta, resulting in "numerisesta" to denote "about numbers." It is not widely standardized and is used mainly in theoretical discussions rather than as a formal academic discipline.

Approach and methods: Numerisesta combines mathematics, cognitive science, sociology, semiotics, and information science. Researchers study numerical representations, numeracy, and numeric metaphors, as well as how numerical information structures decisions, policies, and online discourse. Methods include quantitative analysis of numerical data, discourse analysis of number-heavy communication, and historical study of number systems and numeracy education.

Development and reception: As of the 2020s, numerisesta is more a set of proposals and conversations within digital humanities and science-and-technology studies than an established academic field. Proponents argue that it provides a unifying lens for analyzing numerical culture, while critics say the scope is too broad and overlaps with existing disciplines such as statistics, data science, and sociology.

See also: numeracy, data culture, statistics, semiotics.