Here’s one way to look at the reason why I wanted to study philosophy as a kid: someone discovered that if you follow the first “proper” (non-etymological or pronunciation guide) text link in almost any Wikipedia article, you will ultimately end up at the article for philosophy (the first link from philosophy is to the article for reason, which leads to rationality, which leads to philosophy, so really any of those have the same property). Here are some example paths:
Chess > board game > game > play (activity) > free will > agency (philosophy) > philosophy
Finnish language > Finland > Nordic countries > Atlantic ocean > ocean > seawater > water > chemical substance > chemistry > science > knowledge > reason > rationality > philosophy
Natural Born Killers > crime film > stage play > literature > arts and letters > fine arts > art form > symbol > numeral system > writing system > symbolic system > anthropology > natural science > science > knowledge > reason > rationality > philosophy
Eggplant > Solanaceae > family (biology) > biological classification > biologist > scientist > system > component > electronic component > electronics > science > knowledge > reason > rationality > philosophy
Bicycle > human-powered transport > transport > cargo > commerce > trade > ownership > rights > principle > effect > result > sequence > mathematics > quantity > property (philosophy) > modern philosophy > philosophy
The joyous random button:
1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships
IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
International Association of Athletics Federations
Sport governing body
Sport
Organized
Corporation
State (polity)
Social sciences
Scholarly method (so close!)
word
human
taxonomy
greek language
indo-european
language family
language
communication
information
sequence
mathematics
quantity
property
Modern philosophy
philosophy
Veikko
Mahtava!
Lock (device)
Electronic lock
Access control
Physical security
Attacker
Sport
Organization
Corporation
State (polity)
Social sciences
Scholarly method
World
Human
Taxonomy
Greek language
Indo-European languages
Language family
Language
Communication
Information
Sequence
Mathematics
Quantity
Property (philosophy)
Modern philosophy
Philosophy
Löytyi myös vastaesimerkki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locksmithing , mutta en tiedä onko wiktionaryyn linkkaaminen kovin kosheria wikipediaa.
Pekka Tolvanen
I’d take it as implied that the links have to go to Wikipedia.
There are some local loops though – if we took Greek to be an etymology link, taxonomy would break due to either taxon > taxonomy or (if we considered taxon to be a terminological triviality) count noun > linguistics > human > taxonomy.
sam
Here’s a loop: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beacon
I’d say that etymological pondering in the introductory chapters does count as long as it isn’t parenthesized at the very beginning. Either that or you couldn’t travel at all from e.g. Etymology.
Pekka Tolvanen
Fart > English language > West Germanic languages > Germanic languages > Indo-European languages > Language family > Language > Communication > Information > Sequence > Mathematics > Quantity > Property > Modern philosophy > Philosophy
???? ergo sum
Had to try it myself to believe. However, I started believing now that I’ve done it once. Not very good inductive reasoning, I guess, but I have always been more fond of abductive reasoning anyway. Here is my path:
Push the Random wikipedia article button:
Jim King (basketball)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
U.S. state
Federated state
Constitution
State (polity)
Social sciences
Scholarly method
World
Human
Taxonomy
Greek language
Indo-European languages
Language family
Language
Communication
Information
Sequence
Mathematics
Quantity
Property (philosophy)
Modern philosophy
Philosophy
Frank
Just couldn’t help to try it another time. Interesting to note is that the route in both this and the above example lead first to ‘information’ and from there onwards to philosophy. The same pattern is found also in both Veikko’s and Pekka’s examples. Anyway, here is the path:
Country ’til I Die (Album)
Country music
Music of the United States
Social class in the United States
Extreme affluence in the United States
The New York Times
Newspaper
Publication
Content (media)
Information
Sequence
Mathematics
Quantity
Property (philosophy)
Modern philosophy
Philosophy
Frank
Tram
Railroad car
Vehicle
Bicycle
Human-powered transport
Transport
Cargo
Commerce
Trade
Ownership
Rights
Principle
Law
System
Element
Mathematics
Quantity
Property (philosophy)
Modern philosophy
Philosophy
Martti L.