in a mathematical way

English translation: in a mechanical way

22:14 Aug 10, 2012

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

English term or phrase: in a mathematical way

Hello everyone,

Exercise 2
Secure a package of playing cards. Select some time to do the exercise. Each day at the appointed time, take the pack in one hand and then start laying them down on top of each other just as slowly as you can, with an even motion. Try to get them as even as possible. Each card laid down should completely cover the under one. Do this exercise for six days.

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2nd Day.
Notes. You start laying the cards down slowly. You will find that by practice you can lay them down much faster. But you want to lay them down slowly and therefore you have to watch yourself. The slow, steady movement is wearisome. You have to conquer the desire of wanting to hurry up. Soon you will find that you can go slowly or fast at will.

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4th Day.
Notes. I find that I am beginning to place the cards **in a mathematical way**. I find one card is not completely covering another. I am getting a little careless and must be more careful. I command my will to concentrate more. It does not seem so hard to bring it under control.

Thank you.

Mikhail Korolev KudoZ activity Questions: 2415 (1 open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 130
Local time: 07:26

Selected answer:in a mechanical way

Explanation:
"in a mathematical way" makes no sense to me here - what seems to be intended is almost the opposite.

I'd ask the author what they meant!

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Note added at 11 hrs (2012-08-11 09:56:03 GMT)
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Then I'm largely in agreement with Barbara that it's nonsense. "mechanical" seems to me more or less what he really meant.

Selected response from:

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 05:26

Grading comment

Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, DLyons.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

3 +4

in a mechanical way

DLyons

in a non-physically oriented manner

Stephanie Ezrol

in very rigorous, disciplined order

ErichEko ⟹⭐

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

49 mins confidence:

in a non-physically oriented manner

Explanation:
I think the author is using the word mathematically to mean something like one to one matching, matching one card to one card. The ohysical act of covering a card completely with anothet card takes a physical set of skills which are improved with repetive practice

Mathematical in this sense is more linear than the actual complex nature of the task

Stephanie Ezrol
United States
Local time: 00:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 156

1 hr confidence:

in very rigorous, disciplined order

Explanation:

Mathematics is the science of order and structure. 1 always comes before 2 and 5 is before 7, etc. If a is larger than b, and b is larger than c, then a is larger than c, and a myriad others of rules.

So doing something mathematically means doing it in a very rigorous and strict order.

That is why the writer said: one card is not completely covering another = one card was out of order or missing, e.g. no Queen between Jack and King.

It occured because the writer was a little careless, a slip of concentration might make him/her e.g. place a Queen before a Jack.

ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Local time: 11:26
Native speaker of:

Indonesian

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

in a mechanical way

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 05:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 52

Grading comment

Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, DLyons.

Notes to answerer

Asker: DLyons, first of all thank you for your answer. Well, unfortunately, it's impossible to ask the author (William Atkinson aka Theron Q. Dumont) because the book was published in 1918.

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