Hand of Eris
Encyclopedia
The Five Fingered Hand of Eris (also known as The Hand of Eris or, within a Discordian
context, simply The Hand) is the name given to "two opposing arrows converging into a common point." The "canonical" example is shown at right, but the passage quoted goes on to say, "It may be vertical, horizontal, or else such, and it may be elaborated or simplified as desired."
The concepts represented by The Hand are of considerable importance to Discordians, but due to the simplicity of the symbol and the widespread applications of its meaning, The Hand appears in many other contexts as well, albeit often without awareness or implication of Discordian connections.
. One significant component of Discordian philosophy addresses the issue of conflicting or opposing forces—sometimes in a state of balance or equilibrium, and other times not. It is this interaction between forces which The Hand represents.
A particular form of The Hand (shown at right) has been proposed for use as the astronomical
and astrological symbol
for the dwarf planet Eris
. This form of The Hand and other proposed symbols are used informally in certain circles; however, it is unlikely that Eris will be assigned an official symbol by the IAU
, since graphical symbols are rarely assigned to minor objects in modern times.
, 
, or some minor variant thereof. While less compact than some of the alternatives (such as the blitz or crosshatch), The Hand has the advantage of being visually suggestive of the core concept of this method of reasoning: The conflicting conclusions are represented by the two arrows, and in order to avoid an impasse, one set of assumptions must give way.
Discordianism
Discordianism is a religion based on the worship of Eris , the Greco-Roman goddess of strife. It was founded circa 1958–1959 after the publication of its holy book the Principia Discordia, written by Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst after a series of shared hallucinations at a...
context, simply The Hand) is the name given to "two opposing arrows converging into a common point." The "canonical" example is shown at right, but the passage quoted goes on to say, "It may be vertical, horizontal, or else such, and it may be elaborated or simplified as desired."
The concepts represented by The Hand are of considerable importance to Discordians, but due to the simplicity of the symbol and the widespread applications of its meaning, The Hand appears in many other contexts as well, albeit often without awareness or implication of Discordian connections.
Discordian symbolism
The Hand is one among several symbols commonly used in DiscordianismDiscordianism
Discordianism is a religion based on the worship of Eris , the Greco-Roman goddess of strife. It was founded circa 1958–1959 after the publication of its holy book the Principia Discordia, written by Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst after a series of shared hallucinations at a...
. One significant component of Discordian philosophy addresses the issue of conflicting or opposing forces—sometimes in a state of balance or equilibrium, and other times not. It is this interaction between forces which The Hand represents.
Astronomical symbol
Astronomical symbols
Astronomical symbols are symbols used to represent various celestial objects, theoretical constructs and observational events in astronomy. The earliest forms of these symbols appear in Greek papyri of late antiquity. The Byzantine codices in which the Greek papyri were preserved continued and...
and astrological symbol
Astrological symbols
Astrological symbols are images used in various astrological systems to denote relevant objects. A number of such images are shown below.-History and origin:...
for the dwarf planet Eris
Eris (dwarf planet)
Eris, formal designation 136199 Eris, is the most massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth most massive body known to orbit the Sun directly...
. This form of The Hand and other proposed symbols are used informally in certain circles; however, it is unlikely that Eris will be assigned an official symbol by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
, since graphical symbols are rarely assigned to minor objects in modern times.
Mathematical contradiction
The Hand is one of several symbols sometimes used to designate the conclusion of a mathematical proof by contradiction. In this setting, it is usually drawn horizontally, with little or no adornment, as, , or some minor variant thereof. While less compact than some of the alternatives (such as the blitz or crosshatch), The Hand has the advantage of being visually suggestive of the core concept of this method of reasoning: The conflicting conclusions are represented by the two arrows, and in order to avoid an impasse, one set of assumptions must give way.See also
- DiscordianismDiscordianismDiscordianism is a religion based on the worship of Eris , the Greco-Roman goddess of strife. It was founded circa 1958–1959 after the publication of its holy book the Principia Discordia, written by Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst after a series of shared hallucinations at a...
- Principia DiscordiaPrincipia DiscordiaPrincipia Discordia is a Discordian religious text written by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley . It was originally published under the title "Principia Discordia or How The West Was Lost" in a limited edition of 5 copies in 1965...
- ErisEris (mythology)Eris is the Greek goddess of strife and discord, her name being translated into Latin as Discordia. Her Greek opposite is Harmonia, whose Latin counterpart is Concordia. Homer equated her with the war-goddess Enyo, whose Roman counterpart is Bellona...
- Proof by contradiction