The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Paul Paryski
There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all  cultures:
that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an integral part of  the
nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem to be more magic  than
others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the universe is another  interesting
question considering wave and field theory. Magic?
 
cheers Paul Paryski
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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

David Mirly
Is pi really inherent throughout the universe?

Won't the concept of pi break down in the presence of sufficiently  
strong gravity?
i.e. Euclidian plane geometry is only a good approximation for our  
"normal/every day" applications.


On Dec 6, 2006, at 9:52 AM, PPARYSKI at aol.com wrote:

> There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all  
> cultures: that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an  
> integral part of the nature of the universe.  Of course some  
> numbers seem to be more magic than others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers  
> are inherent in the universe is another interesting question  
> considering wave and field theory. Magic?
>
> cheers Paul Paryski
> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Martin C. Martin-2
Pi shows up in many areas that have nothing to do with geometry.  For
example, the integral of exp(-x^2) over the whole real line is sqrt(Pi).
    Also, the infinite series 1/1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - 1/11 + ... =
Pi/4.

- Martin

David Mirly wrote:

> Is pi really inherent throughout the universe?  
>  
> Won't the concept of pi break down in the presence of sufficiently
> strong gravity?
> i.e. Euclidian plane geometry is only a good approximation for our
> "normal/every day" applications.
>
>
> On Dec 6, 2006, at 9:52 AM, PPARYSKI at aol.com <mailto:PPARYSKI at aol.com>
> wrote:
>
>> There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all
>> cultures: that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an integral
>> part of the nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem to be
>> more magic than others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the
>> universe is another interesting question considering wave and field
>> theory. Magic?
>>  
>> cheers Paul Paryski
>> ============================================================
>> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
>> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
>> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org


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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Joshua Thorp
Then there is Euler's Formula which gives:  e^(i*PI) + 1 = 0

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http://agutie.homestead.com/files/Eulerformula.htm

For more about the formula, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 
Euler_formula

--joshua


On Dec 6, 2006, at 11:33 AM, Martin C. Martin wrote:

> Pi shows up in many areas that have nothing to do with geometry.  For
> example, the integral of exp(-x^2) over the whole real line is sqrt
> (Pi).
>     Also, the infinite series 1/1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + 1/9 - 1/11  
> + ... =
> Pi/4.
>
> - Martin
>
> David Mirly wrote:
>> Is pi really inherent throughout the universe?
>>
>> Won't the concept of pi break down in the presence of sufficiently
>> strong gravity?
>> i.e. Euclidian plane geometry is only a good approximation for our
>> "normal/every day" applications.
>>
>>
>> On Dec 6, 2006, at 9:52 AM, PPARYSKI at aol.com  
>> <mailto:PPARYSKI at aol.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all
>>> cultures: that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an  
>>> integral
>>> part of the nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem  
>>> to be
>>> more magic than others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the
>>> universe is another interesting question considering wave and field
>>> theory. Magic?
>>>
>>> cheers Paul Paryski
>>> ============================================================
>>> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
>>> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
>>> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---
>>
>> ============================================================
>> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
>> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
>> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
>
> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org


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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

David Eric Smith
In reply to this post by Martin C. Martin-2
except of course that the pi that appears in the Gaussian integral is
the angular measure, by which the gaussian on the line reduces to the
exponential on the plane.  So is it geometric, or is it not?  

Eric



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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Martin C. Martin-2
It has a geometric interpretation.  But there are places where a real
number line is useful beyond denoting locations & times in our universe.
  The original poster was saying that, where gravity warps space
strongly, we would no longer use Pi.  I was saying we would, since it
comes up in other ways.

- Martin

Eric Smith wrote:

> except of course that the pi that appears in the Gaussian integral is
> the angular measure, by which the gaussian on the line reduces to the
> exponential on the plane.  So is it geometric, or is it not?  
>
> Eric
>
>
> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org


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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Phil Henshaw-2
In reply to this post by Paul Paryski
But, is it the 'magic' of numbers that produces the patterns or the
patterns that produce the 'magic' of numbers??   big difference it seems
to me.
 
 

Phil Henshaw                       ????.?? ? `?.????
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
680 Ft. Washington Ave
NY NY 10040                      
tel: 212-795-4844                
e-mail: pfh at synapse9.com          
explorations: www.synapse9.com <http://www.synapse9.com/>    

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On
Behalf Of PPARYSKI at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 12:52 PM
To: friam at redfish.com
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures



There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all
cultures: that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an integral
part of the nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem to be
more magic than others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the
universe is another interesting question considering wave and field
theory. Magic?
 
cheers Paul Paryski

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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

David Breecker
MessageExactly.  I've always thought numbers are just another of our perceptual mechanisms (albeit an incredibly elegant one) that only captures part of the magic that is "actually" out there.  Interestingly, this maps well to the rainbow idea that was on this thread: the colors are continous, but our perceptual mechanism breaks them down into discrete bands.
db

dba | David Breecker Associates, Inc.
www.BreeckerAssociates.com
Abiquiu:     505-685-4891
Santa Fe:    505-690-2335


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Phil Henshaw
  To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group'
  Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 12:31 AM
  Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures


  But, is it the 'magic' of numbers that produces the patterns or the patterns that produce the 'magic' of numbers??   big difference it seems to me.



  Phil Henshaw                       ????.?? ? `?.????
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  680 Ft. Washington Ave
  NY NY 10040                      
  tel: 212-795-4844                
  e-mail: pfh at synapse9.com          
  explorations: www.synapse9.com    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: friam-bounces at redfish.com [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] On Behalf Of PPARYSKI at aol.com
    Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 12:52 PM
    To: friam at redfish.com
    Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures


    There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all cultures: that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an integral part of the nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem to be more magic than others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the universe is another interesting question considering wave and field theory. Magic?

    cheers Paul Paryski


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  ============================================================
  FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
  Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
  lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
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The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

Robert Howard-2-3
One might say that perception, which is a prerequisite for consciousness, in
any mapping function from a continuous space to a discrete space. And for
that matter, a thermostat perceives because it takes a continuous space of
heat and maps it to the discrete space of ON or OFF. There was the old
saying that God invented the Integers; man invented everything else. But I
wonder if it?s not the other way around. When discrete space gets so small,
in the Planck range, to us macroscopic things, it?s pretty much a continuum.
Perhaps that?s why Relativity Mechanics is easier to understand than Quantum
Mechanics.

 

Do not the sigmoid functions of our neurons map a continuum to a finite
set?namely language?

 

Robert Howard

Symmetric Objects Inc.

 

  _____  

From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf
Of David Breecker
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 11:57 AM
To: sy at synapse9.com; The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

 

Exactly.  I've always thought numbers are just another of our perceptual
mechanisms (albeit an incredibly elegant one) that only captures part of the
magic that is "actually" out there.  Interestingly, this maps well to the
rainbow idea that was on this thread: the colors are continous, but our
perceptual mechanism breaks them down into discrete bands.

db

 

dba | David Breecker Associates, Inc.
www.BreeckerAssociates.com
Abiquiu:     505-685-4891
Santa Fe:    505-690-2335

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Phil Henshaw <mailto:[hidden email]>  

To: 'The <mailto:friam at redfish.com>  Friday Morning Applied Complexity
Coffee Group'

Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 12:31 AM

Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

 

But, is it the 'magic' of numbers that produces the patterns or the patterns
that produce the 'magic' of numbers??   big difference it seems to me.

 

 


Phil Henshaw                       ????.?? ? `?.????
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
680 Ft. Washington Ave
NY NY 10040                      
tel: 212-795-4844                
e-mail: pfh at synapse9.com          
explorations: www.synapse9.com <http://www.synapse9.com/>    

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf
Of PPARYSKI at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 12:52 PM
To: friam at redfish.com
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures

There seems to be a constant about the nature of number across all cultures:
that they have a magically aspect and seem to be an integral part of the
nature of the universe.  Of course some numbers seem to be more magic than
others, e.g. Pi.  Why numbers are inherent in the universe is another
interesting question considering wave and field theory. Magic?

 

cheers Paul Paryski


  _____  


============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org

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