A simple 2+2 problem became a paradox when real-world context intervened, sparking Kareem Carr’s debate on definitions and axioms. Carr and others show how context bent arithmetic, such as angles ...

On paper, it’s one of the simplest math problems in the world: 2+2. If you’re counting something, like screws at the hardware store, it’s pretty straightforward. But the lines blur in other contexts.