RE: References for "The Magic Number" and more examples of the number 7

["Le Vie, DonaldX S" <donaldx -dot- s -dot- le -dot- vie -at- intel -dot- com>]

Ed:

I found the references to other studies illuminating and warrant further
reading. Thanks for providing them. 

I don't disagree with you at all in your assessment of the rules/argument
discussion. I think that part of the problem is that the Rule of 7 has
perhaps received so much press (or hype, perhaps) that it probably
overshadowed the more recent/more valid studies. To your point on personal
opinion playing a role on the list rather than quoted studies, I'd like to
add the word "supported" to "personal opinion. I find it difficult to have a
meaningful interchange with someone who's offering their personal opinion
without some sort of previous knowledge or experience with the subject
matter.

About a week ago, I was listening to a radio talk show. A caller asked the
host "Don't you think George Bush is a hypocrite about not continuing with
the Florida recount when he's signed a law in Texas that endorses recounts?"
The host explained that no, he was not being hypocritical because the law
that he signed had specific deadlines for recount totals as well as a
clearly defined methodology for conducting that recount. The host went on to
explain to the caller that several methods were being used for recounting
the votes in Florida, thus creating a higher probability of questionable
results.

The caller ended by saying, "I still think Bush is a hypocite."

To me, that's unsupported personal opinion. He had a mindset based on an
uninformed bias that prevented him from being amenable to an apolitical
explanation that should have removed his bias, or at least challenged him to
defend it further. In the end, he still clung to his personal opinion.

When it fits in the box, the Rule of 7 has worked for me in the past. When
it doesn't fit in the box, I don't use it. I think that people who have been
on this list awhile realize that there are few absolutes in our industry
(other than the rules of grammar for the English language). Otherwise, every
question posted to this list could be answered with one response by one
person.

But I'm still curious about any relationship with the prolific use of number
7 in ancient literature and oral tradition and its use as a mnemonic device
for memory and recall. Ten years ago, I co-authored a book that explored the
use of shamanic art (rock carvings, cave art)as a mnemonic tool for
imprinting a "signficant experience" on an individual's psyche, whereby the
symbol represented some special event or experience to individuals within
the group's collective unconscious. For example, seeing the image of a
lightning bolt carved on a rock in a sacred place had the same relevance and
special significance to everyone in that particular society. It was a tool
for instantaneous recall. I'm wondering if use of the number 7 didn't have a
similar significance later in Western civilization.

Anyway, that's off topic. Had I known that this topic had been hashed and
rehashed before, I probably would referred to the archive. Turns out after
refreshing my computer screen that Bailey's references did show up after his
article. Next time I extol someone for brandishing "uninformed" opinion,
I'll refresh the screen first!

Donn Le Vie  



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