Subject: Clinamen and Oxford
From: Cecilia Baader (ceciliaann@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Apr 25 2000 - 13:38:26 EDT
Clinamen <mkozusko@english.uga.edu> wrote:
>I'm in Oxford for the next couple of months...
This is what I'm wondering, Matt K. Is the new location responsible for the
sudden name change?
I mean, a message from someone named Clinamen might lead one to believe that
we have a new 'fish in our midst. But then that selfsame person, upon
seeing the email address of said Clinamen might then find herself thinking,
ah, Matt K. doesn't do things like change the name on his account for no
reason.
So then one is left with no alternative but to find out what this "Clinamen"
means. A quick search on Alta Vista leads to the Catholic Encyclopedia.
The Catholic Encyclopedia?
Well, okay. And this is what it yields:
"The mechanical theory of Democritus, which explains the universe as the
outcome of the collision of material atoms, logically imposes a fatalism
upon human volition. The *clinamen*, [emphasis mine]or aptitude for
fortuitous deviation which Epicurus introduced into the atomic theory,
though essentially a chance factor, seems to have been conceived by some as
acting not unlike a form of fate."
Aaah, yes. Very good. Rather amusing, Matt K.
(One might also be able to deduce that the aforementioned actions are a
classic method of work-avoidance.)
Regards,
Cecilia.
ObSal: I was musing (ahem) on Mattis's recent suggestion that Seymour's
problem was too much happiness when I remembered his statement "I'm a
paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy."
Hmmm... I wonder if too much happiness can be as painful as too much
sadness?
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