So, why was indigo worthy of inclusion, while cyan was not? ~~James http://www.turtlezero.com (JA-86)
On 12/2/06, Dede Densmore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Re Pamela's reply: Me, too! Re Robert's: When I was growing up, we > learned " Roy G. Biv", a name silly enough that you weren't likely to > forget it and that definitely included indigo. > > Dede > > On Nov 30, 2006, at 7:17 PM, J T Johnson wrote: > > > My apologies, and I seem to be pushing the evelope of original intent > > for the FRIAM list, but I find this sort of "anthropology of numbers" > > topic an interesting problem that converges on interesting questions > > in how we design, say, databases or UIs that are applicable anywhere, > > anytime. > > > > So for what it's worth.... > > > > -tj > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Nov 30, 2006 5:55 PM > > Subject: [MEA] Fwd:The yin and yang of numbers across cultures > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >From the Chronicle of Higher Ed's Magazine and Journal Reader. > > Thursday, November 30, 2006 > > > > A glance at the current issue of the Bulletin of Science, Technology & > > Society: The yin and yang of numbers across cultures > > > > > > In Japanese culture, a rainbow is considered to consist of seven > > colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. A > > rainbow has > > one less color in the West, as Americans and Europeans tend not to > > count > > indigo. However, because a rainbow is actually a continuous spectrum, > > both > > perceptions are wrong, notes Yutaka Nishiyama, a professor at Osaka > > University of Economics, in Japan. He says those distinct viewpoints > > reflect a Japanese preference for odd numbers and Western favoritism > > toward > > even numbers. > > Mr. Nishiyama provides numerous other examples to suggest an East-West > > difference in the preference for odd or even numbers. According to a > > Japanese proverb, for example, three heads are better than two, > > "whereas in > > English, two are better than one." In a study of number-related words > > in > > English and Japanese, he found additional evidence. "It appears," he > > writes, "that the Japanese language has a cultural setting that favors > > the > > odd numbers 3 and 5, whereas English has a cultural setting that > > favors the > > even numbers 2, 4, and 6." > > > > The author looks at historical clues in attempting to explain why > > different > > cultures may have a preference for one form of numbers over the other. > > The > > ancient Greeks, he says, regarded odd numbers as good. So did the > > ancient > > Chinese. The latter utilized yin-yang thought, which is based on the > > idea > > of alternating opposites. For instance, yang is generally considered > > to be > > masculine, and yin to be feminine. He emphasizes, however, that the > > concept > > is meant to be interpreted as a system of opposites and of "infinite > > change," not as "a case of one being superior or inferior to the > > other." So > > a man is yang in relation to a woman, but yin in relation to his > > parents. > > Only in modern times, he says, has yang come to be understood as "good > > and > > superior" in relation to yin. > > > > He concludes that the ancient preference for odd numbers probably > > faded in > > the West with the arrival of modern mathematics, "as represented by > > Newton." As he explains it, modern mathematics values rationality, and > > "seems to have abandoned the ideas of ancient Chinese yin-yang thought > > and > > ancient Greek philosophy, in which odd numbers were male and even > > numbers > > female. When counting numbers, odd numbers were incomplete, in-between > > numbers, whereas even numbers were certainly more rational." Thus, "in > > contrast to the East, where odd numbers are positive and good, in the > > West, > > odd numbers are incomplete and superfluous." > > > > The article, "A Study of Odd- and Even-Number Cultures," is > > temporarily > > available free through Sage Publications. > > > > http://bst.sagepub.com/cgi /content/abstract/26/6/479 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > MEA mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/mea -- ============================================================ 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
