WSC Floorwalker

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Chat #5

METAPHYSICAL CHAT

(w/ J. Shuster and R. Hall)

Hey-ho! and welcome back to another discussion of metaphysical issues. I'm J. Shuster and he's R. Hall, and today we're going to talk about Mobius Bands. The latest musical phenomenon, eh? Ho-ho, very funny; actually a Mobius Band is a strip or a band, that has only one side, and only one edge (see Fig. 1). Let's talk a little about its significance before we take any questions. Good idea; first of all the Mobius Band is the physical representation of infinity [as opposed to the symbolic representation, i.e. "°°"]. More specifically, infinity is the edge of the Mobius Band. And a very sharp edge at that!, if one recalls the chat on infinity. The edge represents infinity because it has no end. The one side also has no end, but it is the representation of infinite cyclical planar time (through space). Just take it at our word folks, and everything will be hunky-dory. It is interesting to note that in a modern revised mythology, Atlas would be holding a Mobius Band on his shoulders. Ah, very interesting, we'll have to follow that up sometime; I think we're ready to take questions now. Go ahead, you wearing the 'Utah.'

"Yeah, uh, I was wondering, if you make a Mobius band out of a piece of tape, which side is the sticky one?" Good question. Yes; I'll take this one if you don't mind. Not at all, go ahead. First of all you're falling in with a fallacy common to amateur Mobius Band creation: that of 'physical perpetuity.' You are assuming that since you created the Mobius Band with material which had two sides, that, through transitive analogue thinking, the Mobius Band also has two sides. This is false, because in the act of making the Mobius Band you have changed its physical appearance such that there exists only one side. Similarly one does not speak of a ball of clay, that was made out of a block, as having 8 corners. Bearing all this in mind, it is correct to say a portion of the single side is sticky. Got that?

"Yeah, uh, I guess so."

It is interesting to note, that if a double-sticky-sided piece of tape is made into a Mobius Band, it becomes single-sticky-sided tape. Wow, that's interesting. Isn't it though? Well, we're out of time and space, so until next time, when we'll describe the nature of the universe, keep your mind on your navel and your senses open!

Fig #1

a) [Mobius band, classic view.]

b) [Mobius band, stretched.]

c) [Mobius band, circular.]

Fig #1
a)	b)	c)

Real Mobius Bands manufactured upon request to R.Hall.

[On to Chat five ]