Arithmancy, Etc.

[absinthe at mad.scientist.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 14662

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., rainy_lilac at y... wrote:

> My big question is this:  Hermione made much about how Divination 
and 
> fortunetelling is such an inexact science-- NOTHING like Arithmancy! 
> Now we find that Arithmancy is simply another form of divination. So 
> why is it taught separately from Trelawny's class?
> 
> Maybe JKR was just being casual with the word (how unlike her 
though!) 
> and really intended Arithmancy to be the magical equivalent of 
higher 
> math (and a science!) That is the image I have anyway.
> 
> I am also left with this interesting image of Hermione's father 
doing 
> numerical divination in his spare time....
> 

I think it's Hermione's insecurity speaking, if arithmancy is a form 
of divination. Hermione wasn't good at divination, which is rather 
intuitive (dare I say "psychic"?). Arithmancy seems more "exact" (from 
what little we know about it) because it most likely uses numbers 
which are more tangible and less subjective than interpreting the 
formation of tea leaves. 

I look at arithmancy as the "magic numbers" idea I learned in 
theology. That is certain numbers have a meaning, for example 3 and 
12. Perhaps arithmancy is the interpretation of these number 
combinations and how they can be used in magic. 

:-)Milz