Nine is higher than most people can manage. Testing of this sort of thing has been going on for over a century, and the range, varying by individual, is normally 5 to 9, with 7 showing up so often that it has been called “the magic number”.
Novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand used the insight of the finite capacity of human perception and memory to explain the need for conceptual thinking. It makes no difference that you can only hold a few, let’s say, apples in your mind at one time if you have the concept of “apple” which applies universally to all apples that are, were, or ever will be. It is this conceptual multiplier that allows us to advance from apples to an understanding of atoms and galaxies.
On the other hand, for the residents of this cartoon, I suspect the magic number is closer to 4.
margueritem about 15 years ago
About time he took that thumb out of his mouth. He was developing a callus.
ejcapulet about 15 years ago
I don’t know, Marg, if it keeps him from talking.
pschearer Premium Member about 15 years ago
Nine is higher than most people can manage. Testing of this sort of thing has been going on for over a century, and the range, varying by individual, is normally 5 to 9, with 7 showing up so often that it has been called “the magic number”.
Novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand used the insight of the finite capacity of human perception and memory to explain the need for conceptual thinking. It makes no difference that you can only hold a few, let’s say, apples in your mind at one time if you have the concept of “apple” which applies universally to all apples that are, were, or ever will be. It is this conceptual multiplier that allows us to advance from apples to an understanding of atoms and galaxies.
On the other hand, for the residents of this cartoon, I suspect the magic number is closer to 4.
Ray_C about 15 years ago
pschearer: …and for the readers?
MisngNOLA about 15 years ago
Wait, what?
Nighthawks Premium Member about 15 years ago
did anybody spot the eyeball ?
channel selector, mayhab?
terra.cripe about 15 years ago
I think it must be the channel selector.
reocare about 15 years ago
agree, terrbeth
Warren JONES about 15 years ago
TV knob is eyeball
nirmalamac about 15 years ago
I vote the television knob, as well.