Nothing original here
by zoss in fal7asaA friend sent me this quote by Jean Guitton:
“Originality exists in every individual because each of us differs from the other. We are all prime numbers divisible only by ourselves.”
With all due respect to Monsieur Guitton–who was a philosopher for a good part of 98 years–I beg to differ.
“We are all prime numbers divisible only by ourselves,” is a failing metaphor. Which is not so bad considering that the statement, “Originality exists in every individual because each of us differs from the other,” is a failing argument to start with.
My point is this:
We are not prime! We are not even–like–relatively prime, since we have stuff in common–common factors, if you will. Maybe, maybe, maybe, none of us is divisible by some other, but we’re definitely not prime.
Take for example the numbers 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. They’re all different, but only the 5 and 7 are prime. 6 and 8 have 2 as a common factor, and 6 and 9 have 3 as a common factor.
The metaphor fails.
Not only that, but:
“Each of us differs from the other” doesn’t imply that “originality exists in every individual.” It simply isn’t enough. We might well each be original (which I doubt) but it sure doesn’t follow from uniqueness–not in any sense I can make of “originality.”
6 is unique, but it follows 2 and 3, has a bit of 8 and a bit of 9, and is contained in 12 and 60.
Nothing original here… I might be anal; but I–surely–didn’t invent it.
Comment by Mo — 22/9/2006 @ 10:49
Could work in the context of a “Happy Mid-life Crisis!”-greeting card.
“You may think that your mediocre by-the-book life has been nothing but a series of missed opportunities and that you will forever disappear in the shroud of obscurity you currently reside in once you kick the bucket. But worry not! You are mistaken! You _are_ special!”
Otherwise it’s just bull.
Comment by N — 22/9/2006 @ 12:21
i like it when people go a bit mad over something..
Comment by zoss — 22/9/2006 @ 18:27
Heh, Mo… I don’t think it was only trying to say that everyone is special though, cause as much as that sounds like (as you put it) bull, it’s not wrong per se — at least not on the genetic level for example. The problem is, it was going much beyond; saying that everyone is able to offer something special, which is quite a stretch from everyone is special (i.e. distinct).
N; I am not mad. I am just a little passionate about math (and physics) metaphors :) Well, ok, maybe I was a little irked about the faulty logic as well, but wouldn’t you?
Comment by will e — 23/9/2006 @ 21:52
Philosophers always say things that sound very smart, interesting and witty, but I guess it only sounds so.. the truth is rather plain. Oscar Wilde has the most interesting remarks.. they’re fun to listen to, but you can’t take them seriously.
This quote by Henry Van Dyke sounds more accurate ”
“The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best”
Sounds like we’re birds here, much better than prime numbers.
Comment by N — 24/9/2006 @ 14:37
hmmm, wouldn’t i? not really, when people get too phylosophical sometimes i begin to feel they are just trying to be clever by saying things that are just over complicated.. i never have the patience to be bothered to understand, not that i have anything against people who do :)
Comment by Sand-e — 25/9/2006 @ 16:42
I’m with Guitton on this one. From what I understand of what you’re saying I think you’ve fallen partially short Zoss. You’re basing your entire argument on the assumption that the difference between 6 and 9 is exactly three. I doubt that people unlike whole numbers are quite so easily categorized. While we may have similarities our similarities are precisely just that, similarities. They are not an exact replica making it hard for 6 to and 9 to be perfectly divisible by 3. You’ve sorta touched on that with your “maybe, maybe, maybe none of us is divisible by some other” but unless you’re claiming that people can share exact same common factors in exactly the same way and circumstance then you too have faulty logic.
Comment by zoss — 25/9/2006 @ 21:09
So you’ve defended the metaphor, Sand-e; do you also have a defence for the originality statement?
Comment by Mo — 26/9/2006 @ 6:34
I get your point man, but either way it’s a pointless statement.
Comment by Sand-e Sez — 26/9/2006 @ 19:51
Right dude, brain exercise it is.
For arguments sake lets say:
A: We are different
B: We are original
And that our statement: each of us being different implies that we are original is denoted by A=>B.
The reverse then is: Being original implies that we are different. B=>A.
Our possibilities then for either of these statements to hold are:
T=>T
F=>T
F=>F
The one instance were the statement doesn’t hold is if
T=>F
And though I sort of see what you mean when you say each of us differing doesn’t necessarily imply that each of us may be original the statement in reverse works. And that I think is what Guitton was saying no? If you assume that each of us slightly differs from the next and hence A holds true all the time then the truth of B is irrelevant to the over all truth of the statement B=>A. I could be talking out of my ass at this point but I’m thinking the difference is in how you transform the words into symbols and logical operators. It’s a thought. Whatcha think does it make any sense?
Comment by zoss — 26/9/2006 @ 20:51
will e; Thanks for the quote. It actually sounds less cynical in its entirety:
Comment by zoss — 26/9/2006 @ 20:52
Mo; sorry, that came out a little too didactic, didn’t it?
Sand-e, Thanks, I appreciate the symbols and the math. And you’re right: you are talking out of your ass at this point :) You said:
No. He wasn’t saying that. He was saying (different)=>(original). i.e. A=>B , which–I am assuming we now agree–is doubtful at best.
Comment by Mo — 27/9/2006 @ 13:50
Errr, what did? =D
Comment by zoss — 27/9/2006 @ 15:00
This Mo, but nevermind.
Comment by Sand-e — 27/9/2006 @ 16:32
yay me!
I knew I was pushing it but at least it turned out to be a good day after all. After having thought about it all day and finally getting it out of my system I stood atop my bed (closest thing I could find to a mountain) and proudly proclaimed that none other than myself was the queen of my castle! short lived as it was however, I should point out that talking out of one’s own ass or other’s for that matter and doing it so well is just as equally exhausting as making sense.