Did the ancients know more than we do?

[Cracker]

In the history of mathematics, the credit for the discovery of the study of combinations and permutations (set theory and statistics) is usually given to Pascal (Pascal's Triangle gives partitions/permutations). If you want to be more technical, you can include the I Ching's (2800BCE) permutations of the yin, yang symbols (Dharma logo for the LOST fans), even though the I Ching doesn't lay out the math.

I found this in the Sepher Yetzirah "The Book of Formation" from around 3CE:

Two Letters produce two houses; three form six; four form twenty-four; five form one hundred and twenty; six form seven hundred and twenty; (39) seven form five thousand and forty; and beyond this their numbers increase so that the mouth can hardly utter them, nor the ear hear the number of them. So now, behold the Stars of our World, the Planets which are Seven; the Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. The Seven are also the Seven Days of Creation; and the Seven Gateways of the Soul of Man--the two eyes, the two ears, the mouth and the two nostrils. So with the Seven are formed the seven heavens, (41) the seven earths, and the seven periods of time; and so has He preferred the number Seven above all things under His Heaven.

If you do the math, the permutations are correct:

2 letters= 2 permutations, or 2!
3 letters= 6 permutations, or 3! (3x2x1=6)
4 letters= 24 permutations or 4! (4x3x2x1=24)
5 letters = 120 permutations or 5! (5x4x3x2x1=120)
etc.

Their math is correct.

Even the old smelly Jews were smarter than you are. Too bad they got hung up on 7 planets (that is why 7 is considered a lucky number nowadays, btw, old Jewish shit from the Kabbalah).

I have never seen credit given to Jews for math even though they lived in the cradles of civilization, too.

Next time you hear someone bitching about the "new math," pop them in the head.

[Duchess]

Cracker, sweetie, love, sugar booger, sometimes you're too deep for me. Today is one of those days. I'll revisit the op another time.

[Cracker]

hahahaha

It's OK. I have to keep my brain busy on vacations or it rots.

I'm just amazed that this information has been around for thousands of years. Religions are based on secret knowledge that is really science and math.

[thekid65]

meh...not just math...but also construction. I don't know if it's "do they know more than we" but there are so many ancient monuments that to this day, puzzle us on how they were constructed..not only physically, but with such mathematical precision.

[IMaDick]

Nothing has changed, we just use a slide rule, calculator,and mechanical engineering to achieve the same thing a string with a knot tied in it and a water level, an abacus and soap stone was doing thousands of years ago.



technology is not always the advancement of knowledge but simply an application tool used to make it easier for lazy fucks to do the work.

[Duchess]

technology is not always the advancement of knowledge but simply an application tool used to make it easier for lazy fucks to do the work.

I'm down with that...just sayin'.

[Cracker]

meh...not just math...but also construction. I don't know if it's "do they know more than we" but there are so many ancient monuments that to this day, puzzle us on how they were constructed..not only physically, but with such mathematical precision.

And the methods they used. And the fact they were built around the world during the same eras when the civilizations didn't communicate.

It's too bad invading peoples burned much of the written histories of those builders.

Christianity and Islam have done more to destroy the learning of man than any other force. I guess the aim is to keep people ignorant and in fear. Like the religions are so different. They really aren't. The difference comes from the crazy practitioners of these religions. They narrow their views so much they separate themselves from the rest of humanity. Who could live their life on the teachings of ONE book? Craziness.

Why are the people in Afghanistan starving when they invented Algebra and had advanced techniques back in the day? They should all be living in a paradise with air conditioning, not following goats around in the heat and growing poppies for drugs. Religion is destructive. I can say the same about American white trash. Trailers are full of images of Jesus. If Jesus busted out with some math, people would have an effen heart attack.

[Cracker]

technology is not always the advancement of knowledge but simply an application tool used to make it easier for lazy fucks to do the work.

Is that how Jesus freaks view technology and tools? So do Muslims.

Why use the term "lazy" in your statement? You should have used "smarter."

Unless you dig holes with your hands and have forgone the shovel, you are a lazy fuck by your own definition.

[Cracker]

Wasn't Dick the one saying nobody needs to know math because computers do it for him just the other day?

[Duchess]

Uh huh

[ZEROSPHERES]

Thanks Cracker...

I really enjoy your posts

[Cracker]

I always judge people who don't judge me. hahahaha

I was showing somebody the other day how to draw curves with only straight lines (2D envelope in math), and I got to thinking about how you can draw lines with circles and circles with straight lines. Ancienct knowledge, of course:

Sacred Geometry ~ with circles made from a string, you can form all the Platonic Solids:


You can design a temple with a string if you know what you are doing.

[Cracker]

About the first post, the point the Kabbalahists were making is that letters and words are the main part of the creation of things. Once things are named, they come into existence. Writing was that holy to them. There weren't schools back then, you had to be rich or privileged or religious to get an education. We give that shit away now and people don't want it. Anything, I mean anything, you want to know is freely available online or in books. It isn't hidden anymore, but knowledge remains a mystery to a large part of our population. It is dangerous to be religious and undereducated, especially if that is your life choice.

People annoy the shit out of me because they don't bother to know much throughout their entire lifetimes. I understand you can't possibly know everything and people have different interests and areas of ability, but to stay blind to so much when it is there for the asking...

[Cracker]

Where is my pyramid buddy? cladking, where are you?

[Lady Cop]

Where is my pyramid buddy? cladking, where are you?

hahahaha right after i read this thread earlier i emailed it to him, he'll be here.

[Cracker]

Do you think cladking is really 21? Because I can't decide if that is creepy or not.

[Lady Cop]

Do you think cladking is really 21? Because I can't decide if that is creepy or not.

forum rules, you know i can't discuss how he is perfectly aged and adorable and handsome and rich and brilliant and sexy. my lips are zipped.

[IMaDick]

Technology -V- knowledge threw cracker off the bus.

poor thing is so stuck on her edumacation that she forgot that someone else already knew or knows all the shit she thinks she knows.

I build sawmills. I use a water level sometimes and sometimes I use a laser level.

[Cracker]

I build sawmills. I use a water level sometimes and sometimes I use a laser level.

You would have a job building sawmills in the middle of the fucking desert. "Let's build a sawmill where there are no trees and no water!"

Don't explain the high desert to me. I know you will want to after you read my post. Also don't explain how the USFS leases land for timbering or mining.

[IMaDick]

Fuck you cracker, where do you think smokey the bear came from?

Right here in my desert forest that's where.