R&D in the Wizard World

[ftah3]

No: HPFGUIDX 33544

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "dicentra_spectabilis_alba" <bonnie at n...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ftah3" <ftah3 at y...> wrote:
> > 
> > I still rather like the idea that Arithmancy is the science of 
spell-
> > crafting.  As in, a combination of numerology, straight grammar, 
and 
> > the magic inherent in words.  I.e., Fred and George blew off 
> > Arithmancy and thus the spell they made up and gave to Ron to 
turn 
> > Scabbers yellow didn't work, because it's not just words, but the 
> > *right* words, determined through a scientificish process, that 
> > matter.
> > 
> Not to burst your bubble or anything, but here's a muggle-world
> definition of Arithmancy:
> 
> "Divination by numbers. The ancient Greeks examined the number and 
the
> values of letters in each name of two combatants. They predicted the
> combatant having the name of the greater value would be victorious. 
It
> was by using this science that some diviners foretold that Achilles
> would defeat Hector.
> 
> "The Chaldeans also practiced arithmancy. They divided their 
alphabet
> into three parts, each part composed of seven letters which they
> attributed to the seven planets. Through this arithmetic method they
> made predictions based on the planets.
> 
> "The Platonists and Pythagoreans were also strongly attracted to 
this
> form of divination which is similar to certain aspects of the Jewish
> Kabbalah."

If arithmancy is straight divination per the definition above, why 
doesn't Trelawney teach it?  And why does Hermione, who absolutely 
poo-poo's Trelawney's class, love her arithmancy class?  

Not making a point; just wondering out loud.

Mahoney