[extropy-chat] For Us, The Living

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 17:14:57 -0600, you wrote
> > > One rock
> > >selected him and came straight toward him. It was
> a handsome rock,
> > flat on
> > >one side and brilliant while in the sunshine. A
> sharp edge faced him
> > and
> > >grew and grew and grew until it encompassed the
> whole world. >
> 
> What I want to know is how an edge can encompass a
> whole world. An edge
> is a line, i.e. it has only one dimension. What sort
> of non-euclidean
> trick was used to make a one dimensional geometric
> object encompass all
> of 3 dimensional space???

Wrong definition of "world".  In this case, "the whole
world" meant his whole world, i.e. the entirety of his
perceptions - and conscious perceptions at that.  It
is not that much of a leap to believe that someone
about to die might well focus entirely on the oncoming
implement of death.

General trick: when someone seems to spout nonsense or
impossibilities, see if there are alternate meanings
of certain terms which, when used instead, would make
what is said make sense.  If so, then it is most
likely the case that this alternate was what was
meant.