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by GeneralWu on May 7th, 2006

GeneralWu

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Could life have an equation?

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  • by RedJohn on May 8th, 2006

    RedJohn

    Yes.

    1. We have the answer, which is 42, but we don't know what's on the left-hand side of the equation or where to find it.

    2. When all else fails, X=5.

    What is this "life" thing anyways? Before you can ask for an answer in the form of an equation, you need to know what the question means. Since we do not know what constitutes "life", any attempt to find an answer is meaningless. The reference to Adam's work is quite apropos. In Adam's world, the simple, easy to understand answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything was found to be 42. It was a completely meaningless answer to a completely meaningless question.

    "We want you to tell us... The Answer!"
    "The Answer? The Answer to what?"
    "Life! ... The Universe! ... Everything!"

    The question "Could life have an equation?" has only three possible answers, the first two of which are 'yes' and 'no'. Can either of these be proved? No. Can either be demonstrated in any meaningful way? No. Do we know what factors should be included in such an "equation"? No. Do we know what factors should be excluded? Uhhh, no. What form could such an equation take? Ummm.

    A third answer may exist: faith. There is no equation in faith, except Faith=Belief. QED.

    It's Life! You know... Life! Right?

    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Other mumblings...
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Re: "huh?", "what the hell are you talking about!?"
    A common reaction to item 1, above. For a more detailed answer, I refer you to Douglas Adam's trilogy in five parts: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe", Life, the Universe, and Everything", "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish", and "Mostly Harmless".

    Item 2, above, is merely common algebra, which is easier than the less common trigonometry, less annoying than calculus, less confusing than partial differential equations, and comprehensible to the average layperson, unlike thermodynamics and, especially, computational fluid dynamics.

    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Re: "According to Chapter 33 of the second book of the series..."
    Yes, but that answer had been cocked up by arrival of the Golgafrinchams. Perhaps it can be found in God's last message to his creation, which "is written in thirty-foot-high letters of fire on top of the Quentulus Quazgar Mountains in the land of Sevorbeupstry on the planet Preliumtarn, third out from the sun Zarss in Galactic Sector QQ7 ActiveJ Gamma". Marvin would be thrilled.

    Comments

    • huh? Could you please provide more details?

      jarvismom

      by jarvismom on May 8th, 2006

    • According to Chapter 33 of the second book of the series, the left hand side would be "six multiplied by nine"

      Quirkie

      by Quirkie on May 8th, 2006

    • I meant 9x6=54

      John Cox will be back April 6th 2013

      by John Cox will be back April 6th 2013 on May 10th, 2006

    • what the hell are you talking about!?

      Sunblynd 5.0

      by Sunblynd 5.0 on May 9th, 2006

    • :-)

      Alatea

      by Alatea on May 11th, 2006

    • I think this might be the best answer ever.

      Anonymous

      by Anonymous on May 12th, 2006

    • that entire answer was almost directly copied from hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

      Brandon Thompson

      by Brandon Thompson on July 31st, 2006

    • I just discovered this. I think this is the most amazing answer and I got meaning from it. I m going to maybe get the old paperback out of hiding and actually read that book :D thanks

      BEASTWITHIN09

      by BEASTWITHIN09 on December 18th, 2010

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