What new word did you learn today?

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm. I stopped believing in numerology when I turned 7, and realised that the only reason that '666' is supposed to be 'the Devil's number' is because -- in ancient Hebrew -- Nero (the ancient Roman Emperor) is 'Neron', and in numerology, that adds up to 666.

That's the only reason.

There is nothing 'lucky' about numbers. Luck is impersonal and unpredictable. Numerical systems are a concept that humanity invented; 1 + 1 will always be 2. As long as we stay away from chaos theory, quantum events, and irrational numbers like π or pi (which numerology does anyway), there's nothing unpredictable or incalculable about numbers.

Therefore, 'lucky numbers' are a contradiction in terms, and can kiss my keister.

 

[GoldMoon]

Hmm. I stopped believing in numerology when I turned 7, and realised that the only reason that '666' is supposed to be 'the Devil's number' is because -- in ancient Hebrew -- Nero (the ancient Roman Emperor) is 'Neron', and in numerology, that adds up to 666.

That's the only reason.

There is nothing 'lucky' about numbers. Luck is impersonal and unpredictable. Numerical systems are a concept that humanity invented; 1 + 1 will always be 2. As long as we stay away from chaos theory, quantum events, and irrational numbers like π or pi (which numerology does anyway), there's nothing unpredictable or incalculable about numbers.

Therefore, 'lucky numbers' are a contradiction in terms, and can kiss my keister.

Yes, but in this series humans are more advanced in their understanding of numbers and the universe than the aliens. Humans were the "invaders" to a "primitive" society. By the time they arrived, the aliens had just invented steam.

And it causes a whole lot of nuance between the two species. Just a slight misinterpretation, or a wrong phrase can escalate into war. The main character in it is an interpreter, who has to make sense of, and try to bring the thinking of the two species together.

There are other differences, too. Numbers is just one thing that can cause trouble. (Mostly in understanding, obviously)

 

[JLT]

Hmm. I stopped believing in numerology when I turned 7, and realised that the only reason that '666' is supposed to be 'the Devil's number' is because -- in ancient Hebrew -- Nero (the ancient Roman Emperor) is 'Neron', and in numerology, that adds up to 666.

That's the only reason.

In his book on the New Testament, Isaac Asimov talks about this and similar "codes" in Revelation. The author of Revelation had a lot of things to say about Roman supremacy, but couched them in obscure terms to avoid prosecution. Well worth the read.

 

[Louanne Learning]

koan​

- a paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment (like riddles that awaken the mind)

 

[JLT]

koan​

- a paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment (like riddles that awaken the mind)

Like "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" That's probably the most well-known koan around.

There's actually an answer to that, I'm told. You face the asker and thrust one open hand toward them, palm outward, and smile.

 

[Naomasa298]

The Zen Buddhist Japanese word is kōan (公案), with an elongated "o" sound. Though I believe that may actually have come from Chinese. It is an idea that helps with meditation.

koantorō on the other hand means Cointreau, which also helps with meditation.

 

[Louanne Learning]

"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

Yeah, when I was reading, they said that this was the most famous one!

You face the asker and thrust one open hand toward them, palm outward, and smile.

Love that!

 

[defaux]

solipsistic

solipsism
the extreme form of scepticism which denies the possibility of any knowledge other than of one's own existence

I'd heard of the philosophy previously, but now I have a name for it.

 

[Also]

koan​

- a paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment (like riddles that awaken the mind)

Koanic is in my book

 

[Also]

Alabastrine light. Self-explanatory in its poetic sense.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

One writer (Rita Mae Brown, maybe?) suggested it was a good hard slap across someone else's face.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Like "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" That's probably the most well-known koan around.

There's actually an answer to that, I'm told. You face the asker and thrust one open hand toward them, palm outward, and smile.

The Simpsons tackled this (and another famous koan) very early -- as early as 1990, in fact.

(The episode, a hilarious one, is called "Dead Putting Society". And now I feel old for remembering that).

 

[Homer Potvin]

The Simpsons tackled this (and another famous koan) very early -- as early as 1990, in fact.

(The episode, a hilarious one, is called "Dead Putting Society". And now I feel old for remembering that).

Beat me to it.

 

[Schism]

Sycophant has a nice ring to it. Although, I vaguely remember reading this word a few years back.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Sycophant has a nice ring to it. Although, I vaguely remember reading this word a few years back.

It certainly sounds nicer than "apple-polisher", "arse-kisser" or "boot-licker", but the meaning is the same.

(Incidentally, the expression "boot-licker" shouldn't be confused with "boot-liquor", which is completely different. The practice of hiding liquor in one's boots was that it is believed to be the origin of the term "bootlegger").

But back to sycophancy: it has its origins in ancient Greece, where it was meant to disparage people who made unjustified accusations to, in some way, pervert the legal system (much like the vexatious litigants of today). However, the origin of the Ancient Greek word συκοφάντης (sykophántēs) is a matter of debate.

What we know is that the word is comprised of two parts -- sykos/συκος 'fig', and phanēs/φανης 'to show' -- hence, 'revealer of figs'. But there are many ways to interpret why that's important.

There's more in the wiki-article, here: Sycophancy - Wikipedia . Enjoy

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Humoresque. A humoresque is a genre of classical music, specifically 19th-century Romantic music, characterized by short, capricious, and whimsical piano pieces that evoke varied, often melancholic or witty, moods.

I'm choosing to believe that it's pronounced "HYOO-moh-RES-cue", because then I can write the following couplet:

I'm writing a brief humoresque
'bout the tragical life of Ceaușescu.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Metrization is the process or result of determining if a topological space can be endowed with a metric that induces its given topology.

Having looked it up after reading one of Rath's posts, I still don't know what it means.

Please, DO NOT EXPLAIN. M'engines cannae take nae more.

 

[Rad Scribbler]

Carousing

~ to enjoy yourself by drinking alcohol and speaking and laughing loudly in a group of people

 

[Homer Potvin]

Carousing

~ to enjoy yourself by drinking alcohol and speaking and laughing loudly in a group of people

You never heard that one before? It might be more of an Americanism... the connotation usually includes rowdy or dissolute behavior.

 

[Rad Scribbler]

You never heard that one before? It might be more of an Americanism... the connotation usually includes rowdy or dissolute behavior.

Its a new one to me - saw it in a novel I'm currently reading.
It's interesting to note that a word might have slightly different meaning in various parts of the world.