Sunday, May 10, 2009

This is Beautiful



Maybe I'm I'm certainly being presumptuous by assuming that I know enough and am intellectual enough to find the trigonometric unit circle beautiful. But whatever. I'm also under the influence of Christopher Alexander's The Nature of Order, in which he argues that beauty is an essential and objective property of something, not merely an opinion. So even if I'm too ignorant to appreciate the unit circle's beauty, Alexander would assert that the circle is still beautiful.
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22 comments:

  1. MottelMay 10, 2009 at 10:56 PM

    I've always been a fan of the Mandelbrot set

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  2. Just like a guyMay 10, 2009 at 11:59 PM

    Yeah, I like mandelbread too, especially when it has raisins.

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  3. MottelMay 11, 2009 at 12:19 AM

    -TRS: A. Undignified oaf! I speak of the unity behind Chaos of Mandelbrot and you think of your boich! B. Raisins are gross. Turkish Delight in mandelbread is far better.

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  4. le7May 11, 2009 at 12:56 AM

    Eliezer, don't bother memorizing the unit circle. What a waste. Just work enough problems that you just know it. Duh.

    Mottel: What the heck? I don't even get the Mandelbrot set and you do?

    TRS: Mandelbread is really yummy. When I worked at the Jewish home, the residents weren't allowed to tip so they would give us gum, candy etc. There was this old guy he used to be a baker so he gave me mandelbread once.

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  5. MottelMay 11, 2009 at 1:01 AM

    -LE7: What makes you think I'm not good at math? I learnt the quadratic equation in the 7th grade.
    Besides, it's a b'feirushe Jonathan Coulton

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  6. le7May 11, 2009 at 1:02 AM

    Not that you're not good at math, just that you haven't had a formal education in mathematics past early high school.

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  7. MottelMay 11, 2009 at 1:06 AM

    I graduated high school as Salutatorian!

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  8. le7May 11, 2009 at 1:08 AM

    Oh you finished high school?

    Whatever. I can barely keep track of my history. Truthfully I never knew yours. I just made it up for you. Cute.

    I graduated 8th in my class. (Which is impressive, considering I spent an 8th of high school high).

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  9. MottelMay 11, 2009 at 1:12 AM

    Wondering what you think of the Mandelbrot song? And only 1/8 of the time high? You're average bochur is 1/6 of the week drunk!

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  10. le7May 11, 2009 at 1:15 AM

    I'll check it out. Is it safe to check out now?

    Well I only spent the first semester of high school high. After that cleaned up.

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  11. eMay 11, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    Mottel: the circle is completely unlike the mandlebrot thing. Mandelbort keeps on going forever, but also never gets anywhere. This kind of infinity is troubling.

    the circle on the other hand, is calm and contained. Basically it says, "All you need to know is right here, in the minuscule space of one unit."

    Trs: it's that good? there are better things on god's green earth.

    le7: memorizing I am not memorizing. But the circle helps me visualize it.

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  12. Just like a guyMay 11, 2009 at 2:56 PM

    e: huh?

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  13. eMay 11, 2009 at 3:04 PM

    mandlebroit is that good? There's much better mezonos out there.

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  14. Just like a guyMay 11, 2009 at 3:05 PM

    Go read my original comment again.

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  15. eMay 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM

    Oh. With raisins it tastes good?

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  16. MottelMay 11, 2009 at 3:50 PM

    So the circle is like religion - All you need to know is right here, in the minuscule space of one unit . . . as opposed to Mandelbrot where you need to venture out on your own and risk trying and failing outside the box . . .

    Mandelbread is much akin to the Italian Biscotti and like British scones, they go very well with hot beverages esp. a cup of coffee or tea. That being said, I'd rather have a cookie . . .

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  17. le7May 11, 2009 at 4:01 PM

    I am a texture over taste person, and mandelbread has an amazing texture, almost as amazing as crusty breadsticks.

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  18. eMay 11, 2009 at 5:03 PM

    I beg to differ. The unit circle is like science. It says, "We can only tell you about this little area. But in this little area, we know exactly what's happening."

    The Mandelbrot set is like religion. It says, "With us you can progress infinitely." But really you don't get anywhere.

    RE texture:
    Mandelbroit has this nasty dry, hard texture. How can you compare that to a moist, soft piece of cake, for example?

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  19. le7May 11, 2009 at 5:58 PM

    Dry hard texture... that you mash up in your mouth with saliva... yum.

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  20. eMay 11, 2009 at 9:06 PM

    Oh gross. Then again, I suppose all textures are gross when you visualize mashing 'em up in your mouth with saliva.

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  21. bonneMay 12, 2009 at 12:51 AM

    I prefer cranberry and orange biscotti with Tazo Passion Fruit tea.

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  22. CheerioMay 18, 2009 at 12:26 AM

    i don't know about all the mathematical discussions, but i do know one thing: after reading all these comments, i'm hungry.

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Forth shall ye all hold.

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