# Odd and even a philosophical illusion



## Crothian (Nov 23, 2009)

There is a radio commercial I keep hearing that says this and I looked it up on line but couldn't really come up with a good reason.  I did come across many others asking the same question though.  

I'm hoping with all the educated people here someone will know what the commercial is referring to.  Thanks!


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## Umbran (Nov 23, 2009)

I have not found a direct example, but I found references to a radio commercial promoting math and science skills in girls - a girl asking her father questions like, "Why is the sky blue?" and such.  Apparently, the commercial ends with the girl asking her father if he knew why the concepts of odd and even are considered a philosophical illusion, and Dad's answer is, "Why don't you tell me?"

I have never heard that particular question before.  I would imagine some would consider them an illusion insofar as they feel that numbers don't have a real existence.  As a physicist (and by extension, a bit of a mathematician), I'd have to disagree with that notion.


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## Shea (Nov 23, 2009)

*Illusion Allusion*

Well ... my first thought is that they are actually saying "allusion" not "illusion". Allusions are referenced often in philosophy, illusions ... not so much.


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## Crothian (Nov 23, 2009)

It could be, listening to the kid speak it could go either way.  She didn't enunciate that well.


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## Janx (Nov 23, 2009)

Shea said:


> Well ... my first thought is that they are actually saying "allusion" not "illusion". Allusions are referenced often in philosophy, illusions ... not so much.




Without hearing the commercial, you make a probable case.

Except for 2, all even numbers cannot be prime (since they are divisible by 2).

That's a huge difference from odd numbers, which a subset of CAN be prime numbers.

Because of this vast difference, there is no "illusion" between odd and even.  They aren't just labels.  As such, the word used must be "allusion" because "illusion" makes less sense.

I suspect somebody could argue that the original statement with "illusion" could make sense.  In which case, you win.


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## Janx (Nov 23, 2009)

Google revealed MULTIPLE pages on the topic, using the word "Illusion" which means Illusion must be the right word.

Odd and even a philosophical illusion - Google Search

This means I win.


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## Umbran (Nov 23, 2009)

Janx said:


> Because of this vast difference, there is no "illusion" between odd and even.  They aren't just labels.  As such, the word used must be "allusion" because "illusion" makes less sense.




Unless you think "prime" and "non-prime" are also illusory.  If numbers do not have reality (as opposed to being "real", since "real numbers" are something pretty specific), then any distinction between numbers has no more reality.




Janx said:


> Google revealed MULTIPLE pages on the topic, using the word "Illusion" which means Illusion must be the right word.




Because, as we all know, the Internet (and Google, specifically) never gives us spurious information


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## Janx (Nov 24, 2009)

Umbran said:


> Unless you think "prime" and "non-prime" are also illusory.  If numbers do not have reality (as opposed to being "real", since "real numbers" are something pretty specific), then any distinction between numbers has no more reality.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My point about google was that it directly led to pages discussing "Odd and even a philosophical illusion" as a valid topic, thus demonstrating that the word was "illusion" and not "allusion".  Thus, your second argument fails to disprove that the search results are indeed about "Odd and even a philosophical illusion."

However, your first point is an excellent counter to the "allusion" theory, and so it wins.

We both win the argument.  Arguments are easier to win when you argue both sides.


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## Crothian (Nov 24, 2009)

They all seem to orginate though from this commercial so it could be everyone mishearing what is being said.


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## Umbran (Nov 24, 2009)

Janx said:


> We both win the argument.  Arguments are easier to win when you argue both sides.




Winning and losing arguments on the internet - there's a real illusion!  

There is only learning and ignorance, there is no win or loss here.


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## jaerdaph (Nov 25, 2009)

Illusion? 

Then I choose to disbelieve!

See? D&D has the answers to all of life's silly questions.


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## Umbran (Nov 25, 2009)

jaerdaph said:


> Illusion?
> 
> Then I choose to disbelieve!




_clatterclatter_

I'm sorry, you rolled a 2, and failed your save.


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## Relique du Madde (Nov 25, 2009)

Umbran said:


> _clatterclatter_
> 
> I'm sorry, you rolled a 2, and failed your save.




Or did he?  Someone, check the DC  and tally up his WILL bonus...


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## Deset Gled (Nov 25, 2009)

Janx said:


> Google revealed MULTIPLE pages on the topic, using the word "Illusion" which means Illusion must be the right word.
> 
> Odd and even a philosophical illusion - Google Search
> 
> This means I win.




Oddly enough, ENWorld is currently #6 on that list.

Pretty much every other hit leads to a discussions that boil down to math errors, or the claiming that all numbers are a philosophical illusion.  The first can be downright painful to read, and the second is (IMNSHO) a bit of an ignoratio elenchi, as it does not address the concepts of either odd or even.


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## Crothian (Nov 25, 2009)

It's really wierd.  Unless the comercial made it all up one would think that it would be on the net somewhere.


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## Umbran (Nov 25, 2009)

Well, the reality of numbers is a commonly asked math/philosophy question - it was one of the things that came up in my math classes back in college and grad school.  So "make it all up"?  Not quite.  But people who write commercials are, occasionally, allowed to come up with new turns of phrase


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## megamania (Nov 25, 2009)

I always thought of math as a language of sorts.  As such it would be real.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 26, 2009)

I have a philosophy degree and this is the first _I've_ heard of it.


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## Crothian (Nov 26, 2009)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> I have a philosophy degree and this is the first _I've_ heard of it.




There's a lot of Philosophy about numbers that I read about when I took a basic philosophy class.  But I've been unable to find anything on this still.


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## jaerdaph (Nov 26, 2009)

Umbran said:


> _clatterclatter_
> 
> I'm sorry, you rolled a 2, and failed your save.




Well, at least I didn't fall into lava and die (no save)!


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## Relique du Madde (Nov 27, 2009)

megamania said:


> I always thought of math as a language of sorts.  As such it would be real.




It is.  Look at Hexadecimal and binary.  Those could be considered a rudimentary language based on basic math.


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## LightPhoenix (Nov 29, 2009)

My guess is the write of the commercial was looking for an advanced mathematical idea, did a quick search, and didn't state it right.  It sounds to me like this is a bastardization of Odd/Even Functions (Wikipedia).  It may also be influenced by number theory, where the writer saw the word theory and erroneously changed it to philosophy.


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