Here's an interesting site on rainbows: http://www.eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/
Particularly see the Java applet. On 12/2/06, Russell Standish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Your diagram would imply Violet lies inbetween Indigo and Blue, whereas traditionally it is the other way around (Roy G Biv). To be quite frank, I cannot distinguish a seperate colour between blue and violet - does that mean my cones are defective? Cheers On Sun, Dec 03, 2006 at 10:54:43AM -0700, Robert Howard wrote: > My understanding is that there are really just three primary colors: R G B. > Even though the spectrum is mathematically continuous, evolution is not. Our > eyes have three types of cones (for color) and one type of rod (for > intensity). It seems that because the three super-imposed distribution > curves yield three maximum crests and four minimum troughs: total colors > would be seven. > > > > That is: > > > > Violet Green Orange > > > > Indigo Blue Yellow Red > > > > > > > > SEE: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colcon.html#c1 > > > > Rob Howard > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of James Steiner > Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 9:45 PM > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The yin and yang of numbers across cultures > > > > So, why was indigo worthy of inclusion, while cyan was not? > > > > ~~James > > http://www.turtlezero.com > > (JA-86) > > > > On 12/2/06, Dede Densmore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Re Pamela's reply: Me, too! Re Robert's: When I was growing up, we > > > learned " Roy G. Biv", a name silly enough that you weren't likely to > > > forget it and that definitely included indigo. > > > > > > Dede > > > > > > On Nov 30, 2006, at 7:17 PM, J T Johnson wrote: > > > > > > > My apologies, and I seem to be pushing the evelope of original intent > > > > for the FRIAM list, but I find this sort of "anthropology of numbers" > > > > topic an interesting problem that converges on interesting questions > > > > in how we design, say, databases or UIs that are applicable anywhere, > > > > anytime. > > > > > > > > So for what it's worth.... > > > > > > > > -tj > > > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Date: Nov 30, 2006 5:55 PM > > > > Subject: [MEA] Fwd:The yin and yang of numbers across cultures > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > >From the Chronicle of Higher Ed's Magazine and Journal Reader. > > > > Thursday, November 30, 2006 > > > > > > > > A glance at the current issue of the Bulletin of Science, Technology & > > > > Society: The yin and yang of numbers across cultures > > > > > > > > > > > > In Japanese culture, a rainbow is considered to consist of seven > > > > colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. A > > > > rainbow has > > > > one less color in the West, as Americans and Europeans tend not to > > > > count > > > > indigo. However, because a rainbow is actually a continuous spectrum, > > > > both > > > > perceptions are wrong, notes Yutaka Nishiyama, a professor at Osaka > > > > University of Economics, in Japan. He says those distinct viewpoints > > > > reflect a Japanese preference for odd numbers and Western favoritism > > > > toward > > > > even numbers. > > > > Mr. Nishiyama provides numerous other examples to suggest an East-West > > > > difference in the preference for odd or even numbers. According to a > > > > Japanese proverb, for example, three heads are better than two, > > > > "whereas in > > > > English, two are better than one." In a study of number-related words > > > > in > > > > English and Japanese, he found additional evidence. "It appears," he > > > > writes, "that the Japanese language has a cultural setting that favors > > > > the > > > > odd numbers 3 and 5, whereas English has a cultural setting that > > > > favors the > > > > even numbers 2, 4, and 6." > > > > > > > > The author looks at historical clues in attempting to explain why > > > > different > > > > cultures may have a preference for one form of numbers over the other. > > > > The > > > > ancient Greeks, he says, regarded odd numbers as good. So did the > > > > ancient > > > > Chinese. The latter utilized yin-yang thought, which is based on the > > > > idea > > > > of alternating opposites. For instance, yang is generally considered > > > > to be > > > > masculine, and yin to be feminine. He emphasizes, however, that the > > > > concept > > > > is meant to be interpreted as a system of opposites and of "infinite > > > > change," not as "a case of one being superior or inferior to the > > > > other." So > > > > a man is yang in relation to a woman, but yin in relation to his > > > > parents. > > > > Only in modern times, he says, has yang come to be understood as "good > > > > and > > > > superior" in relation to yin. > > > > > > > > He concludes that the ancient preference for odd numbers probably > > > > faded in > > > > the West with the arrival of modern mathematics, "as represented by > > > > Newton." As he explains it, modern mathematics values rationality, and > > > > "seems to have abandoned the ideas of ancient Chinese yin-yang thought > > > > and > > > > ancient Greek philosophy, in which odd numbers were male and even > > > > numbers > > > > female. When counting numbers, odd numbers were incomplete, in-between > > > > numbers, whereas even numbers were certainly more rational." Thus, "in > > > > contrast to the East, where odd numbers are positive and good, in the > > > > West, > > > > odd numbers are incomplete and superfluous." > > > > > > > > The article, "A Study of Odd- and Even-Number Cultures," is > > > > temporarily > > > > available free through Sage Publications. > > > > > > > > http://bst.sagepub.com/cgi /content/abstract/26/6/479 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > MEA mailing list > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/mea > > -- > > > > ============================================================ > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Mathematics UNSW SYDNEY 2052 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Australia http://www.hpcoders.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
-- George T. Duncan Professor of Statistics Heinz School of Public Policy and Management Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (412) 268-2172
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