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Posted: 12/17/2015 7:42:30 PM EDT
Using nothing but words you can type, explain the concept of left and right (as in hands, not politics) such that any reader of your words would know which hand was their left and which was their right.
In doing so, you cannot refer to the way in which the language is displayed on the screen. Your explanation will have to work even if the words are only spoken, or if the reader was reading it in some other language that didn't go left to right. |
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing.
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So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? You asked about left and right, not clockwise and counterclockwise. Which is it? |
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. View Quote FPNI Thing is though, if some dumbfuck doesn't know what left and right is, other "words" likely aren't of much help in explaining it to him. A.W.D. |
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. ![]() No, actually, that was the kind of thing I expected first. If you have ever played this game, you know that next you have to explain "clockwise". |
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Quoted: So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? ... Oh, so you're changing the rules and moving goalposts? |
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So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? Pretty sure I followed your rules. Now the person listening can't understand English? |
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You asked about left and right, not clockwise and counterclockwise. Which is it? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? You asked about left and right, not clockwise and counterclockwise. Which is it? Well, if you are going to define something in terms of something else, then you need to know what the something else means. Otherwise, all you are doing is substituting different words for "right" and "left" without conveying any real meaning. |
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Well, if you are going to define something in terms of something else, then you need to know what the something else means. Otherwise, all you are doing is substituting different words for "right" and "left" without conveying any real meaning. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? You asked about left and right, not clockwise and counterclockwise. Which is it? Well, if you are going to define something in terms of something else, then you need to know what the something else means. Otherwise, all you are doing is substituting different words for "right" and "left" without conveying any real meaning. Have you ever picked up a fucking dictionary? |
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I would say, "Clench the hand you write with, that is your right hand, the other one is your left." If they clench their left hand, punch them in the face and tell them They are defective.
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I don't feel like wasting my time because you're going to have some dumb response, but I'd say left is the side of your body that has your heart (from your perspective).
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... Oh, so you're changing the rules and moving goalposts? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? ... Oh, so you're changing the rules and moving goalposts? No. You can't assume that everyone has the same clocks. The one I am looking at right now doesn't have a dial so there is no "clockwise." All this is doing is substituting another word for "right" without explaining either one. It is no different than saying "right" = "starboard" -- meaningless to anyone who doesn't know what "starboard" means. |
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left.
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Pretty sure I followed your rules. Now the person listening can't understand English? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? Pretty sure I followed your rules. Now the person listening can't understand English? No, you just can't assume that they have the same kind of clocks you do. There are lots of places where that might apply just here on earth -- and the question was originally intended to figure out how to communicate to someone on another planet, where you really can't make those assumptions. |
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Go shovel a fuckload of snow really fast. When one side of your chest hurts, that's your left side. Also call 911
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No. You can't assume that everyone has the same clocks. The one I am looking at right now doesn't have a dial so there is no "clockwise." All this is doing is substituting another word for "right" without explaining either one. It is no different than saying "right" = "starboard" -- meaningless to anyone who doesn't know what "starboard" means. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Left is 90* counter-clockwise from the direction one is facing; right is 90* clockwise from the direction one is facing. So what is this "clockwise" you speak of? ... Oh, so you're changing the rules and moving goalposts? No. You can't assume that everyone has the same clocks. The one I am looking at right now doesn't have a dial so there is no "clockwise." All this is doing is substituting another word for "right" without explaining either one. It is no different than saying "right" = "starboard" -- meaningless to anyone who doesn't know what "starboard" means. So you want us to describe a word, but we can't use other words? Might as well ask us how to add to 5 without being able to use numbers... "What's this '3' and '2' you speak of?" |
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I don't feel like wasting my time because you're going to have some dumb response, but I'd say left is the side of your body that has your heart (from your perspective). View Quote Well, one can't really assume that someone would have enough knowledge of their own innards to reliably tell where their heart was located. But the question comes from the question of how to communicate with aliens from another planet, so you can't really even assume they have a heart like ours, or on the same side. So, despite your snarky response, it is a serious question, posed in science. |
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. View Quote The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. |
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My wife actually had some difficulty with this, so the way I finally got her to understand it was:
"Left is diamonds, right is emeralds and rubies". She's got it right ever since. ![]() |
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Should have had aliens in the op. Your thread sucks
If, knowing right from left was a deciding factor of importance face to face body language would be the best way. How would aliens be able to read our descriptions. My previous answer still applies, if they are bipedal and left handed. Kill them |
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So you want us to describe a word, but we can't use other words? Might as well ask us how to add to 5 without being able to use numbers... "What's this '3' and '2' you speak of?" View Quote No, you just can't substitute synonyms and claim the job is done. What with digital clocks, you can't assume that someone would understand what "clockwise" means. You know, like people who don't know how the term "dial a phone number" came about because there aren't any more phone dials. Numbers are easy. There are all kinds of ways to communicate number concepts to someone from another planet. |
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The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. These aliens are receiving audio transmissions from another planet and it sounds like they somehow already understand most of our language and you're trying to teach them preschool stuff that even Gomer Pyle got by the second try? What's the intergalactic equivalent for "Ain't nobody got time for this?" |
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The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. |
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These aliens are receiving audio transmissions from another planet and it sounds like they somehow already understand most of our language and you're trying to teach them preschool stuff that even Gomer Pyle got by the second try? What's the intergalactic equivalent for "Ain't nobody got time for this?" View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. These aliens are receiving audio transmissions from another planet and it sounds like they somehow already understand most of our language and you're trying to teach them preschool stuff that even Gomer Pyle got by the second try? What's the intergalactic equivalent for "Ain't nobody got time for this?" Well then, if you are as smart as Gomer Pyle, I am sure you can explain it quite easily. |
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. I will have to ask for your proof that no one involved in SETI research ever asked this question. |
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The hand closest to the heart is the left hand and the hand farthest from the heart is the right hand.
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. This and people on another planet wouldn't speak English so this thread is stupid. |
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The hand closest to the heart is the left hand and the hand farthest from the heart is the right hand. View Quote Already explained above. Assumes someone knows where their heart is. Wouldn't work for explaining it to aliens from another planet who may not have the same body we do. |
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northern hemisphere - check the local tornado conditions - they tend to spin counter-clockwise (95 x out of 100).
Southern hemisphere, tornado's tend to spin clockwise. Toilets and sinks may follow the same pattern though that is debatable, and less pronounced at the equator. Northern hemisphere - face the sun at noon. Right will be to the west (evening sun), left to the east (morning sun) reverse for southern hemisphere. |
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This and people on another planet wouldn't speak English so this thread is stupid. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. This and people on another planet wouldn't speak English so this thread is stupid. So you would assume that there is no way at all to communicate with them then. Right? |
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I will have to ask for your proof that no one involved in SETI research ever asked this question. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. I will have to ask for your proof that no one involved in SETI research ever asked this question. So it doesn't matter what we say, your reply is "We can't assume they know XYZ." Can I assume this thread sucks? Yes I can. |
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Interlace you fingers so that it feels natural.
The thumb on top is attached to your left hand. |
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northern hemisphere - check the local tornado conditions - they tend to spin counter-clockwise (95 x out of 100). Southern hemisphere, tornado's tend to spin clockwise. Toilets and sinks may follow the same pattern though that is debatable, and less pronounced at the equator. Northern hemisphere - face the sun at noon. Right will be to the west (evening sun), left to the east (morning sun) reverse for southern hemisphere. View Quote What if they are from another planet and don't know what you mean by north, south, east, and west? |
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Yeah. If it is that easy then you should be done already. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Well, if you are going to define something in terms of something else, then you need to know what the something else means. Otherwise, all you are doing is substituting different words for "right" and "left" without conveying any real meaning. Have you ever picked up a fucking dictionary? Yeah. If it is that easy then you should be done already. Wat? Seriously. Have you ever picked up a fucking dictionary? How does a dictionary define words? HOLY SHIT, IS IT WITH OTHER WORDS!? |
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Why do they need to know which hand is left and right? What difference does it make?
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So it doesn't matter what we say, your reply is "We can't assume they know XYZ." Can I assume this thread sucks? Yes I can. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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If you are looking at your compass and facing north the hand on the eastern side is your right, the hand on the western side is your left. The question was posed to try to figure out how to communicate the idea to people on another planet, so you would have to include some way that they could determine "north" the same way you do. No it wasn't. I will have to ask for your proof that no one involved in SETI research ever asked this question. So it doesn't matter what we say, your reply is "We can't assume they know XYZ." Can I assume this thread sucks? Yes I can. Sorry if I got too intellectual for you. I know that can be painful. |
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