Brint molecule

Dear Mr. Supposed Philosopher:

I note at the end of your blogs, you often place this little symbol: " .O. " I don't recognize this as any sort of "chat smiley", so what is that symbol? Perhaps, as were some early Greek philosophers, you are a member of secret cult?

[Suspicious in America]


Dear careless-cult-mongerer, if the late musician now-and-then known as Prince can have a symbol, then so can I. Nevertheless, if this isn't sufficient justification, there are several other good reasons why this is my personal symbol. First, it turns out that I do fancy myself somewhat of a Pythagorian, having a great appreciation for both philosophy and math. And this early group of classic philosophers was well-attested as being a cult, or least a cross between a math-club and a religious sect. Second, the most direct meaning behind the symbol is that my name, "Brint", means "Hydrogen" in Danish. Finally, history shows that Thales, the first recorded philosopher, said that everything is water, and in some way this gives me reassurance that at least one other philosopher in history thinks it's all about Brint, and maybe a little oxygen too. So one of these, " O ", in addition to one of these, ".", gives me a convenient symbol for signing my name.


O.