18.275 get a life!

               Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 18, No. 275.
       Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
                   www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/
                        www.princeton.edu/humanist/
                     Submit to: humanist_at_princeton.edu

         Date: Fri, 08 Oct 2004 10:32:41 +0100
         From: Willard McCarty <willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk>
         Subject: get a life (at random)

In this part of the world, the publication of the new Dictionary of
National Biography has been not only noteworthy but also on the day noted
on the evening television news and throughout the day on radio. The
editor-in-chief appeared behind a large pile of the many volumes containing
the 50,000 biographies. As many will know, it is also online,
http://www.oxforddnb.com/, though one does have to subscribe or be in an
institution that has subscribed for everyone within its domain. The online
version has a clickable link so that you may "get a life at random". My
colleague John Lavagnino alerted me to one of the many gems:
this from the life of Ludwig Wittgenstein.

> Wittgenstein was readmitted to Trinity on 18 January, and kept
> residence during the Lent and Easter terms. He needed a degree to
> qualify for a grant and to apply for a teaching position. Ramsey
> was formally appointed his supervisor, and on 18 June, having
> submitted the Tractatus in lieu of a thesis, Wittgenstein was
> examined by Moore and Russell, and granted the PhD. The viva
> consisted of an amicable chat between old friends, which was
> brought to an end by Wittgenstein's clapping Moore and Russell on
> their shoulders and exclaiming "Don't worry, I know you'll never
> understand it."

As he said, the dream of all PhD students!

Yours,
WM

[NB: If you do not receive a reply within 24 hours please resend]
Dr Willard McCarty | Senior Lecturer | Centre for Computing in the
Humanities | King's College London | Strand | London WC2R 2LS || +44 (0)20
7848-2784 fax: -2980 || willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk
www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/wlm/
Received on Fri Oct 08 2004 - 05:52:03 EDT