30 April 2018 - untangled

< yesterday -- tomorrow >

Tangled is the natural state not only of string, but of almost every system, from electrons to philosophy. The word is backward: What we need is not a word meaning “things are in their natural state,” but a word meaning “it looks as though somebody has expended effort to untangle this.” The exception rules our thought.

clue:

In electrons, we call it “entangled”.

give me a clue so sweet and true

the Daily Whale || copyright 2018, 2024 Jay J.P. Scott <jay@satirist.org>