Comment by simonsarris
5 months ago
I think you may need to review what that word means in case you have an incorrect belief about its definition. Almost all notation ever created has a reason or a system, I have no idea why one would think its ultimately arbitrary (having no reason or system).
Consensus is not arbitrary either, that's a strong reason, a lack of arbitrary-ness. Even the second definition of arbitrary, something done unilaterally, is contra-consensus.
Isn’t it possible thst there could be multiple , equally systematic, candidate notations. Isn’t the decision as to which one gains traction arbitrary?