Janet D. Stemwedel (whose nom de blog is Dr. Free-Ride) is an associate professor of philosophy at San Jose State University. Before becoming a philosopher, she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry. Email her at dr.freeride@gmail.com.
Other ScienceBloggers may think they're nerdy. They haven't spent time with me at a party.
Fun activity when standing around with your Solo cups of beer or wine:
(Taught to me by a mathematician friend; always a hit with the geekerati.)
First nerd tilts Solo cup gently from side to side. "Ahh, Bessel function!"
Second nerd gives the Solo cup of the first nerd a forceful thwack upward. "Oooh, Neumann function!"
Passing the time with a group of philosophers:
Taking turns giving famous philosophers' proofs that p. Party-going nerds get extra adulation for (a) correctly mimicking the accent and affect of the famous philosopher whose proof they are tossing off, and (b) adding new proofs, especially of local or up-and-coming philosophers, to the canon.
Can studying the work of David Lewis help you win a party game?
Yes. The game in question is "Two truths and a lie," where each player makes three claims about his- or herself and the other players must determine which of those claims is false. A strategy which makes it much easier to fool your opponents is to start with true facts about oneself and look for the corresponding claims in possible worlds very close to the actual world. Use one of these as your "lie".
Works every time.
What nerds discuss at Superbowl parties:
Strategies for rock-paper-scissors.
Why nerds order drinks with maraschino cherries:
To work out the topological challenge of tying the stem in a knot using only one's tongue and teeth. (Don't let those Twin Peaks fans fool you -- it's all about the topology.)
Comments
Sorry, this is off topic but I just emailed the author of a paper to find out reaction conditions and he's responding to me as if I'm a girl. Do I get to be indignant and complain about sexual discrimination or not? If so, should I wait until I at least get all of the conditions before becoming angry, or not?
Posted by: Dennis | September 6, 2006 1:38 PM
At parties, TRUE nerds wander off to the nearest bookshelf and spend the entire time reading.
Posted by: PZ Myers
| September 6, 2006 2:45 PM
Actually, I think really true nerds just don't get invited to parties in the first place.
Posted by: Joshua | September 6, 2006 4:22 PM
And the geeks do the same, then lose interest within ten minutes and wander round disparaging the lack of 'proper' (non-Star Trek) science fiction on the shelves to anyone who looks like they're a sucker for rants, or who has spare alcohol that they'll decide to not finish if ranted at enough...
...or perhaps that's just me.
You know, I only got invited to one party over the summer...
;)
Posted by: ArmchairAnarchist | September 6, 2006 7:33 PM
Cherry stems are all homeomorphic to the interval, no matter how you knot them (unless you stick the ends together somehow). So it's not really about the topology.
(Just trying to get into the spirit here.)
Posted by: Sean Carroll | September 6, 2006 7:50 PM
Greatest nerd cocktail game ever: "In the manner of the adverb" in which the group selects an adverb and the designated guesser ("It" I suppose you would call him or her while playing tag) asks the other party goers to act out scenes or perform tasks in the manner of the adverb until it is guessed. As a warning though, it's easier to drink a beer vicariously than do the worm voraciously.
Posted by: Uncle Fishy | September 6, 2006 8:01 PM
Sean is right. (Drat! Out-nerded by a physicist!)
But, the challenge of using the limited range of motions possible with a tongue (tethered at one end) and teeth (firmly embedded in one's jaw) to tie the stem is ... topology-esque? What would be the most apt description of the particular species of problem-solving the cherry-stem-tying exemplifies?
Posted by: Janet D. Stemwedel | September 7, 2006 2:21 PM
You need to have lunch with some chemists and look at the napkins afterwards. There are many chemists who seem to be unable to eat lunch without drawing a structure.
Posted by: Sandra Porter | September 7, 2006 3:45 PM
It's closer to geometry (which cares about distances and limited ranges of motion) than topology (which doesn't). In fact, I would have to say it's ... physics.
Posted by: Sean Carroll | September 7, 2006 3:47 PM