Stephenson:Neal:Quicksilver:36:According to what scheme? (Alan Sinder)

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Logic Mill Card files

THE BOOK OF LIFE

as per a smarter book review title 1...

In Search of an Indexing System: Sinistrality, Antecedence, and Alphabetical Priority

How the 'Logic Mill' cards reflect the history or life experience of its creator

Noah's Ark -- Mentioned to get out of the way by Wilkins in his search for a new universal vocabulary. Indicates that Daniel retains most of what is said to him.

treaties terminating wars -- Samuel Pepys (starting about page 193) seems to sounding out Daniel as to taking over the GRUBENDOL correspondence which contain treaty work.

membranophones eg miralitons -- Has Daniel encountered 'skin drums' or kazoos?

the notion of a classless society -- Barkers, like conservative Puritan Evangelical Christians, hold the conviction that civilized society requires orders and classes as against the notion of a `classless society' … ;

the pharynx and its outgrowths - seen in organ formation in the case of "animal development." Clearly, what the dissection of dogs would inform Daniel and his Royal Society chums.

The esophagus, oesophagus, or gullet is the muscular tube in vertebrates through which ingested food passes from the mouth area to the digestive system. Specifically, in mammals, it connects the pharynx, which is the body cavity that is common to the digestive system and respiratory system behind the mouth (buccal cavity), with the stomach, where the second stage of digestion is initiated (the first stage of digestion is in the mouth, with teeth and tongue masticating food and mixing it with saliva). The esophagus is lined with mucous membrane, and is more deeply lined with muscle that acts with peristaltic action to move swallowed food down to the stomach.

Drawing instruments eg T-Square -- Young Daniel and Isaac use plenty when they correct the sundial.

"The skepticism of Pyrrhon of Elis" -- Pyrrhon of Elis (c. 360-c. 272 BCE), credited with founding Greek Skepticism, sought mental peace by avoiding commitment to any particular view; his approach gave rise in the lst century BC to Pyrrhonism, proponents of which sought to achieve epoche (suspension of judgment) by systematically opposing various kinds of knowledge claims. AKA Pyrrho. Pyrrho, c360 BCE - c270 BCE, a Greek philosopher from Elis, is usually credited as being the first skeptic philosopher and is the founder of the school known as Pyrrhonism. Diogenes Laertius, quoting from Apollodorus, says that he was at first a painter, and that pictures by him were in existence in the gymnasium at Elis. Later he was diverted to philosophy by the works of Democritus, and became acquainted with the Megarian dialectic through Bryson, pupil of Stilpo.

Pyrrho, along with Anaxarchus, travelled with Alexander the Great on his exploration of the east, and studied in India under the Gymnosophists and under the Magi in Persia. From the Oriental philosophy he seems to have adopted a life of solitude. Returning to Elis, he lived in poor circumstances, but was highly honoured by the Elians and also by the Athenians, who gave him the rights of citizenship. His doctrines are known mainly through the satiric writings of his pupil Timon of Phlius (the Sillographer). The main principle of his thought is expressed in the word acatalepsia, which implies the impossibility of knowing things in their own nature. Against every statement the contradictory may be advanced with equal reason. Secondly, it is necessary in view of this fact to preserve an attitude of intellectual suspense, or, as Timon expressed it, no assertion can be known to be better than another. Thirdly, these results are applied to life in general. Pyrrho concludes that, since nothing can be known, the only proper attitude is ataraxia, "freedom from worry".

The impossibility of knowledge, even in regard to our own ignorance or doubt, should induce the wise man to withdraw into himself, avoiding the stress and emotion which belong to the contest of vain imaginings. This drastic skepticism is the first and the most thorough exposition of agnosticism in the history of thought. Its ethical results may be compared with the ideal tranquillity of the Stoics and the Epicureans.

Requirements for valid maritime insurance contracts -- ... When tort is for tortious interference with contract, should use contract rule instead of situs-plus-nexus test, Carroll v. Protection Maritime (1st) [Insurer blacklists seamen who have made claims for personal injury, causing ship owners to fire them to avoid higher premiums]. Determine what relevant contract is first (not maritime insurance contract but employment contract between ship owner and crew). But bringing tortious interference claim in under supplemental jurisdiction doesn't get you admiralty substantive law, whereas bring it in under Admiralty Maritime Judgment gives you admiralty choice of law. ... Daniel might have encountered such topics due to his addiction/affection to/of coffee houses; Princess Caroline thanks to Gottfried must have inferred the appeal of a marine insurance endowment to Daniel.

Kamakura bakufu -- The defining moment for the Kamakura bakufu was the invasion of Japan by the Mongols. In 1258, Kublai Khan conquered the Korean peninsula and in 1266, he declared himself Emperor of China. In that glorious year for the newly formed Yuan dynasty, Kublai set his sights on Japan. In 1266, representatives of the Mongolian court came to Japan and demanded its immediate surrender to Mongolian rule. The imperial court was terrified, but the Hojo decided to stand its ground and sent the representatives home. In 1274, Kublai Khan sent a vast fleet to invade Japan but it was destroyed by a hurricane—the Japanese called this fortunate hurricane kamikaze, or "wind from the gods." Again in 1281, Kublai launched the largest amphibious assault in the history of the ancient and medieval worlds. The Chinese army was a terrifying invasion force. They had the latest technology including gunpowder bombs and "fire-sticks," or guns, and their waves of archers dealt out death and destruction with astonishing efficiency. But the Hojo managed to keep them from landing on the coast, for they had built a vast wall against the invaders. Finally, another hurricane struck, and the bulk of the Chinese army sank with the fleet. (I can see the sea walls from here)

"the fallacy of assertion without knowledge" - might be a poke at Ayn Rand's Beehive and much Libertarian thought. 'without proof' is her bit...

US postage stamp honoring Rand 1999 Ayn Rand (Ayn rhymes with "mine") (February 2, 1905 - March 6, 1982), born Alissa Zinovievna Rosenbaum, was a controversial American philosopher and novelist, most famous for her philosophy of Objectivism.

Ayn Rand was born to Jewish parents in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She studied philosophy and history at the University of Petrograd. In 1925, she was permitted by the Soviet government to leave the USSR briefly to visit her relatives in America. Although she was only allowed a brief visit, she was resolute never to return to Russia. When she arrived in America, at the age of 21, she stayed with relatives in Chicago for 6 months before moving to Hollywood to become a screenwriter. At this time she changed her name to Ayn Rand, suspecting that, if her anti-socialist views became famous in America, her family back in Russia might be persecuted by the Soviet government. In Hollywood, while working as an extra on Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings she met Frank O'Connor by tripping him on purpose, and they married in 1929.

Agates -- Quartz. When chalcedony is variegated with with spots or figures, or arranged in differently colored layers, it is called agate; And if by reason of the thickness, color, and arrangement of the layers it is suitable for being carved into cameos, it is called onyx.Chrysoprase is green chalcedony; carnelian, a flesh red, and sard, a brownish red variety

Rules governing the determination of questions of fact in Roman courts -- Offer of proof. Judge Jeffreys's erstatz Star Chamber and its attack upon Daniel would be the reason this is one of the many cards in the stack. In case the ruling is one excluding evidence, the substance of the evidence was made known to the court by offer or was apparent from the context within which questions were asked. English Courts borrowed a lot from Roman Courts.

Ecclesiastical court (also called "Courts Christian") is a generic name for certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the middle ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states as they were experts in interpreting canon law the basis of which was the Corpus Juris Civilis of Justinian which is considered the source of the civil law legal tradition. The Ecclesiastical Courts are a system of courts in England, held by authority of the Crown and having jurisdiction over the matters dealing with ritual of the Church of England and the rights and obligations of church persons, now limited to controversies in areas of church property and ecclesiastical disciplinary proceedings. In England these courts, unlike common law courts are based upon and operate under civil law and canon law. * The names of these courts are:

Archdeacon's Court Consistory Court Provincial courts Court of Arches of Canterbury Chancery Court of York Court of Faculties The Court of Final Appeal: Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

mummification -- The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. They believed that mummification would guarantee passage into the next life. Some people believed that the dead lived on in the tomb. While others thought of the dead as having gone to a blessed afterworldin some far-distant place. That being the case they provided for both worlds. In no other civilization have such elaborate preparations for the afterlife been made in the preservation of the dead.

sunspots -- Galileo was not the first to observe sunspots (the Chinese earned that distinction thousands of years before), but Galileo was the first to study sunspots and their movements through a telescope. He carefully sketched what he saw. Some refuted his drawings, claiming the black spots were unknown planets crossing the disk. But Galileo was able to prove the spots were on the Sun (Galileo's Proof - Galileo responded to Scheiner by arguing that sunspots change their shapes and that they are often seen to originate on the solar disk and perish there. Thus they could not be solar planets. They must reside on the Sun, and therefore the Sun is not perfect. Galileo noticed that, while a spot took about 14 days to cross from one side of the Sun to the other, its rate of motion was by no means uniform. That is, the spot's motion always appeared much slower when near the edge of the Sun than when near the center. This Galileo recognized as an effect of foreshortening.)

the sex organs of bryophytes eg liverwort -- a division of photosynthetic, chiefly terrestrial, nonvascular plants, including the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Liverworts reproduce asexually as well by baring tiny reproductive bodies called gemae in gemae cups. These cups are located on the thallus.

Euclidean geometry —homotheties & similitudes -- the study of points, lines, planes, and other geometric figures, using a modified version of the assumptions of Euclid (c.300 BCE). The most controversial assumption has been the parallel postulate: there is one and only one line that contains a given point and is parallel to a given line. The development of Euclidean geometry extends at least from 10,000 BCE to the 20th century. An algebra of points. A coordinate geometry. Reflections in a plane.

Pantomimes -- Communication by means of gesture and facial expression: Some tourists make themselves understood abroad by pantomime. The telling of a story without words, by means of bodily movements, gestures, and facial expressions. A play, dance, or other theatrical performance characterized by such wordless storytelling. An ancient Roman theatrical performance in which one actor played all the parts by means of gesture and movement, accompanied by a narrative chorus. A player in such a performance. A traditional British Christmas entertainment for children, usually based on nursery tales and featuring stock characters in costume who sing, dance, and perform skits.

The election & reign of Rudolf I of Hapsburg -- Rudolph I. (Rudolph of Hapsburg) (1218-1291) -- His election at Frankfort on the 29th of September 1273 was largely due to the efforts of his brother-in-law, Frederick III. Rudolph was a tall man with pale face and prominent nose. He possessed many excellent qualities, bravery, piety and generosity; but his reign is memorable rather in the history of the house of Habsburg than in that of the kingdom of Germany.

testes - male generative glands in animals. In mammals, the testicles are paired bodies that are contained within a pouch termed the scrotum.

Nonsymmetrical dyadic relations -- A relation is nonsymmetrical when it is neither symmetrical nor asymmetrical; e.g., loves. (sometimes when a loves b, b in turn loves a; but sometimes not)... A relation is dyadic or triadic, etc., depending on the number of its "arguments."

The Investiture controversy -- was a political crisis in the 11th century, in which the pope and the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire argued about, essentially, which of them had the supreme power over the other. It also refers to related controveries in other European countries, most notably in England, regarding the dual allegiance of bishops to their sovereign and to the pope.

Phosphorus -- (Greek. phosphoros, meaning "light bearer" which was the ancient name for the planet Venus) was discovered by German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669 through a preparation from urine. Working in Hamburg, Brand attempted to distill salts by evaporating urine, and in the process produced a white material that glowed in the dark and burned brilliantly. Since that time, phosphorescence has been used to describe substances that shine in the dark without burning. (used in CRT monitors)

Traditional impotence remedies -- Indonesian oil blend of "Minyak Lintah," "Minyak Bulus," and other essential ingredients for enlarging the size of the penis and help cure impotence. The oil may also be used by women for increasing breast-size. Due to the natural ingredients, the oil may have an unpleasant smell.

the Arminian heresy -- A heresy to the Puritan Mindset.

The Development of Portuguese Hegemony over Central Africa -- The struggle among the European powers over Africa began early. In the late 16th century the Dutch began to challenge Portuguese hegemony over sea routes and trade. They attempted to penetrate Mozambique, but were repulsed by the Portuguese, who were well established there. They then selected the Cape because of its climate and agricultural land. The Dutch East India Company was the leader in the spice trade with Asia. On April 7, 1652, the company founded the first Dutch settlement at Table Bay under the leadership of Jan Van Rebeeck. South African revolutionaries cite this date as the beginning of national oppression in South Africa. Slaves were imported within a few years after the founding of the Cape settlement. By 1682, there were 700 Europeans living in the area, producing wine, growing wheat and resupplying ships. They moved out from the settlements, pursuing an agricultural and pastoral life style which called for large numbers of African laborers. By 1707, there were almost 1,800 settlers, owning over 1,100 slaves. Mombasa is Kenya's second largest town and its only sizeable port. It has a recorded history stretching back nearly 2000 years and was mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea a pilot's guide to the Indian Ocean Written by one Diogenes, a Greek living in Egypt, around the end of the first century CE. Mombasa was again mentioned by Ptolemy in the second century but then remained in relative obscurity, despite the development of a series of city states by migrant Arabs, until the adventurers, traders and conquerors visited the town beginning with Vasco Da Gama in 1498. The colonisation of the coast by the Portuguese was a hit and miss affair with the invaders sometimes showing interest and sometimes the opposite. But it was also an era of strife between the Catholic Portuguese and the Muslim Arabs. Portuguese hegemony was finally extinguished with the capture of Fort Jesus by the Arabs in 1699 just over a hundred years after it was built.

some apologies to John Barth. Never confuse list management with a simple data base...

Footnotes

1. "The Book of Life" was an anonymous magazine article written by Sherlock Holmes about observation in "A Study in Scarlet"