Re: Clinamen and Oxford


Subject: Re: Clinamen and Oxford
From: citycabn (citycabn@gateway.net)
Date: Tue Apr 25 2000 - 14:15:25 EDT


In my confused ignorance, I thought "Clinamen" was a Star Trek or Star Wars
or ??? reference. Interesting research, Cecilia.

ObSal: Didn't Teddy visit Oxford?

--Bruce.

PS: No editing so as to upset our Matt K. into more frequent eruptions.

-----Original Message-----
From: Cecilia Baader <ceciliaann@hotmail.com>
To: bananafish@roughdraft.org <bananafish@roughdraft.org>
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 10:50 AM
Subject: Clinamen and Oxford

>
>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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