Choose a natural element or two that best describes who you are?

[kidchameleon]

However, I realize that what you are referring to are conceptualizer "elements" promoted by ancient, scientifically illiterate groups in ancient times to justify a world view (i.e. religion).

~Beaux

I dunno, if you strip away the new-agey crap that's been piled onto the concept over the years, and remember that the classical elements idea was started by the Greeks - or at least, the most recognizable form was - they actually hit the nail on the head pretty well. It's more a modern-day misunderstanding of what they meant by the term elements.

The elements represent all forms of matter; Solid (Earth), Liquid (Water), Gas (Air) and Plasma (Fire). With Aether as a more vague "unknown" kind of thing. Like, what they thought space and the stars were made from, I guess.

The confusion started when those alchemist "lead-into-gold" guys added Mercury, Sulphur and Salt to the group, to represent the "values" of matter... like, explody-ness and stuff. And then that idea slowly evolved into our current periodic table of elements - when alchemy was abandoned in lieu of legitimate science - and people obviously started lumping the two concepts together due to their close association.

[Beaux]

[quote=kidchameleon]I dunno, if you strip away the new-agey crap that's been piled onto the concept over the years, and remember that the classical elements idea was started by the Greeks - or at least, the most recognizable form was - they actually hit the nail on the head pretty well. It's more a modern-day misunderstanding of what they meant by the term elements.

The elements represent all forms of matter; Solid (Earth), Liquid (Water), Gas (Air) and Plasma (Fire). With Aether as a more vague "unknown" kind of thing. Like, what they thought space and the stars were made from, I guess.

The confusion started when those alchemist "lead-into-gold" guys added Mercury, Sulphur and Salt to the group, to represent the "values" of matter... like, explody-ness and stuff. And then that idea slowly evolved into our current periodic table of elements - when alchemy was abandoned in lieu of legitimate science - and people obviously started lumping the two concepts together due to their close association.[/

I rather believe that the "confusion" started, and was at it's greatest, some murky time before recorded history, and that we are climbing out of it. Amongst the Greeks with their Philosophy, the Egyptians and their Architecture, and the Arabic who's numeric system we use today. In each of these societies, out of the many generations of illiterate men and women, circumstance lead to the development of great ideas which improved our collective knowledge.

However, even as our species has spread out to cover the face of the Earth, so has our collective knowledge and it continues to do so exponentially. 100 years ago the vast majority of people were illiterate; today, many of our greatest minds believe that we will see the emergence of the Singularity within our life-time.

Regardless, I don't begrudge you calling electricity an element if you want too; my nephew calls mud "pancakes" when he plays with his toy stove. We all play along for his sake...but nobody eats.

~Beaux

[mrex]

Water.

I can be strict as ice.
Soft as liquid.
But always moving forward.

[1and1]

Water.

I can be strict as ice.
Soft as liquid.
But always moving forward.

Strict....? Ice is.... strict?

[LJay]

Strict....? Ice is.... strict?

Try being encased in a block of it.