The Importance of the Number 7
Posted by hmarvin on Thu, 02/07/2008 - 03:16
In class we brought up the emphasis of seven in the book of revelation, but our discussion swerved before it's origin was discussed. There are seven heavenly bodies that can be seen moving in the night sky with the naked-eye, from the Moon to Saturn.I couldn't remember in class, but now that I have everyone knows! That is the magic of the internet.
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I find the thing about 7 pieces of info in the cognitive memory very interesting.
But there's more...7 times to be dipped in the river to be cleansed, 7 times round the walls of Jericho, 7 days in a week, the world was created in 7 days. The number 7 has been a sacred number for a while. Even more so the number 3.
I'm taking a cognitive psychology class, and yesterday we learned a person can hold 7 (+/- 2) peices of information in their short term memory. This is probably old news to most people, as it was for me, but in light of all this discussion about 7, it got me thinking.
Might Christianity's preoccupation with 7 be related to the capacities of our short term memory?
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Dan
dblondel@hunter.cuny.edu
7 pieces of information? I wish! The connection between cognitive function and belief is a promising one, though, even if I don't think it is direct in this case (not until you convince me further, anyway). There are studies that try to show correlations between certain kinds of brain connections and what we call mystical experiences. One question about that is whether it is more an attempt in the contemporary, scientized world to understand things ordinarily beyond our comprehension as entirely explainable, leaving no room for mystery or the ineffable.
well I think its difficult to see illogical things logically. that statement itself is probably a product of our scientific world.
The seven virtues, seven deadly sins...