Brain teaser... zen kôan

[Indiepath]

There's a quite famous kôan by Hakuin (1686 to 1769) and it would be interesting to see if indiegamers can solve it. Here it goes:

"In clapping both hands a sound is heard. What is the sound of one hand?"

[EpicBoy]

Answer: fap.

[BantamCityGames]

I can actually clap with one hand...

[andyb]

depends what you hit your hand on...

[Bluecat]

That wooshing sound you hear in kung fu movies.

[Indiepath]

All wrong. Sorry :)

[Dominique Biesmans]

sound of one hand

[Indiepath]

@Dominique Biesmans: That was tried already. Nope. Sorry :)

[Tom Cain]

Just hold your hand out in front of you and listen. That is the sound.

[Jim Buck]

The answer is an action, thrusting out one's hand, followed by a dialogue with the teacher.

[RedKnight]

1 divided by 2 = 0.5

[Mark Sheeky]

"In clapping both hands a sound is heard. What is the sound of one hand?"

No reference to clapping was made in the second part. What is the sound of one hand? One hand makes no sound.

Mark
Cornutopia Games
http://www.cornutopia.net

[simonh]

tick tock?

[Dom]

Either Marks answer (which was quite good) or the Terry Pratchett answer:

'cl'

[BantamCityGames]

There is no answer... Indiepath is just trying to slow down our game development ;).

[Reactor]

The real question is- does your other hand have a sock puppet on it?


"Hello hand... what's that? You don't say!"

[MrPhil]

Depends, you are listening to the 'cl' hand or the 'ap' hand. ;)

I also find that in a clapping situation and I only have one hand I whistle. :rolleyes:

But the most common sound one hand makes is ‘snap.’ :cool:

[Dom]

I used to know a guy who only had one arm, and he clapped by clapping his hand on his leg. Still made a clap-type noise.

[RedKnight]

Well it took me two hand to make a "CLAP"
but it took me one hand to make a "FLAP","FLAP","FLAP","FLAP" !!!

[Indiepath]

He heh hee :D

[EpicBoy]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_049

[Sybixsus]

Remind me never to ask Buddhists stupid questions.

[ggambett]

Remind me never to ask Buddhists stupid questions.
You know, a couple of days ago I was talking to a friend about a theory I developed about sayings :

1) If it's trivial, obvious, and mentions war or soldiers, you can safely attribute it to Sun-Tzu

2) If it's trivial, obvious, and doesn't mention war or soldiers, you can safely attribute it to Confucius

3) If it doesn't make sense but you can use it as a sustitute of "you suck" or "I rock", it was Nietzsche (and to give it an air of authenticity, you can cite Also Sprach Zarathustra)

[Aggrav8d]

'mu'.

Alternate answer: hand? there is no hand.

[Indiepath]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_049
> "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
That was not the question.

"In clapping both hands a sound is heard. What is the sound of one hand?"
Answer is very simple. Don't make it too complex.

Heh :D

[EpicBoy]

How long until you enlighten the masses and end this asinine thread?

[Indiepath]

Will propably take bit time... saw similar thread which was started over a year ago and is still continuing :rolleyes:

Oh.. and your answer was wrong :)

[EpicBoy]

No, it wasn't. Your answer, whatever it is, is wrong.

(this is easy ... maybe I should start my own thread!)

[Addictive 247]

http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/koan.html

or

http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/21thesoundofonehand.html

All very confusing :confused:

[BantamCityGames]

There isn't a "right" answer... the sound of one hand is different for everyone and only when you hear it will you know the answer.

[Indiepath]

@Addictive 247: Isn't it? :)

@BantamCityGames: And is that answer right answer?

@EpicBoy: Nope. You are wrong about that.

:)

[EpicBoy]

@EpicBoy: Nope. You are wrong about that.
No, no ... you are.

[BantamCityGames]

@BantamCityGames: And is that answer right answer?


I don't think your paying attention. I said there isn't a right answer that is universal to everyone. The right answer for me may not be the right answer for you.

[Indiepath]

I don't think your paying attention. I said there isn't a right answer that is universal to everyone. The right answer for me may not be the right answer for you.
Could you tell me your answer? :rolleyes:

[exepotes]

is it the same sound that people who ask this kind of question do when somebody is squishing his throat with ONE hand? may be not...
(sorry, i hate this kind of questions, and i usually end squishing somebody's, er, throat)--> not literally ;)

[Indiepath]

is it the same sound that people who ask this kind of question do when somebody is squishing his throat with ONE hand? may be not....
(sorry, i hate this kind of questions, and i usually end squishing somebody's, er, throat)--> not literally ;)
Hehee :D :D :D

[EpicBoy]

I'm going to have to chalk this thread up as one long elaborate troll and ask that the moderators lock it. Waste of time that does nothing to further indie game development.

[Bluecat]

I don't think that's necessary. It's not disruptive or abusive, and it is in the General Chat section. I think this thread falls into that general chat category.

If anyone thinks it is wasting their time, they don't have to post, or even read it.

[EpicBoy]

If anyone thinks it is wasting their time, they don't have to post, or even read it.
That's a weak argument that has been shot down the past. This board needs to stay focused. There are hundreds of other forums out there where people can post random threads...

[Bluecat]

Ok. Maybe that is a weak argument. But the fact remains, this particular forum is called General Chat. Pretty much every other forum that I have visited that has had a general chat section, uses it for the board members to just shoot the breeze. All sorts of topics get discussed from sports to what people are reading. I tend to see that sort of activity as building community.

I guess if we want to be completely focussed on making and selling games on this board, and don't want any general chat, then we should remove this particular forum. Personally, I don't see the need.

[ggambett]

10 PRINT "What Is The Sound Of One Hand?"
20 INPUT A$
30 PRINT "That's Not The Answer"
40 INPUT A$
50 PRINT "No, You Are Wrong"
60 GOTO 20

[MrPhil]

Maybe we need an 'Off-Topic, Joke and Wacky Discussion' group?

[exepotes]

That's a weak argument that has been shot down the past. This board needs to stay focused. There are hundreds of other forums out there where people can post random threads...
oh, don't be harsh. that's just because you don't know the answer, right?
:D :D
i think he can post stuff like this in "General Chat". even when he is asking annoying questions... :)

[Indiepath]

Yes, this might *seem* to be a "stupid" thing... but in fact this "riddle" was first introduced few hundred years ago by those who were to attain englightment. (google for "zen", "hakuin", "koan" and you will find more about this issue)

The description of general chat forum says:

General Chat
The place for general gaming discussions plus off-topic subjects that don't fit cleanly into other forums. New members can introduce themselves here.

I found this thread to be off-topic and therefore fit in this forum. If this it not appropriate place then inform the mods and let them decide whether to lock this thread or not. There's no intention to mock or insult anyone.

I would also appreciate if we would stop discussing whether this thread should be locked or not, as that topic certainly is not the issue here.

Now, tell me the answer :rolleyes:

[EpicBoy]

(google for "zen", "hakuin", "koan" and you will find more about this issue)
We did that. And posted links.

[Indiepath]

10 PRINT "What Is The Sound Of One Hand?"
20 INPUT A$
30 PRINT "That's Not The Answer"
40 INPUT A$
50 PRINT "No, You Are Wrong"
60 GOTO 20
LOL. But not true :)

[Indiepath]

We did that. And posted links.
EpicBoy, I really don't want to argue with you about this nor I want you or anyone to get offended by this. Maybe there's a need for off-topic area but... maybe those who think this thread is irrelevant may simply not read & reply here. By posting links you are not getting into this kôan. You are simply echoing what others have said. If you look at those links you might find some depth in this issue.

Now, I started another thread for debate about "should there be off-topic area" (orshould this thread and similar ones to be removed). Please, let's continue that discussion there:

http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?p=11229#post11229

@exepotes:

"General Chat". even when he is asking annoying questions...
Now, what do you mean by that?

[ggambett]

Now, what do you mean by that?
I think Indiepath, The Developer Formerly Known As Morphecy, is actually an ELIZA implementation. I won't be surprised if he replies to this comment with What makes you think I'm an ELIZA implementation?

[Mark Sheeky]

I think Indiepath, The Developer Formerly Known As Morphecy, is actually an ELIZA implementation.

Tell me more about that. :)

[Bluecat]

Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Indiepath]

What makes you think I'm an ELIZA implementation?

http://www.terrence.com/perl/eliza/eliza.cgi

... you can ask there what the sound of one hand is. :rolleyes:

[MrPhil]

Why do you ask?

[Indiepath]

Why do you ask?
Why not? :)

[Nutter2000]

Why not? :)
Are such questions much on your mind? :D

....

I think that the sound of one hand clapping is obviously the sound of much debate over wether people should discuss such things on this forum :p