Hi
Phil Molyneux
Hi --- The arbitrary constant was made popular by Douglas Adams in the mid-1970s radio series ``A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'' (a trilogy in 4 parts) --- however it does have a basis in the standard model of physics --- a paper in Phys.Rev. of the early 1970s described the unification of the Electro-Weak and Strong nuclear forces --- the arbitrary constant (of nearly) 42 appears in the calculations. I forget the original paper but if you get hold of Frank Close ``The Cosmic Onion'' a graph reproduces the result. I met Douglas Adams once at a book signing and asked him how he got hold of the Phys.Rev. paper so early. Technically he should have written that ``42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything except for gravity and a few other arbitrary constants''
In the Japanese culture the number 42 has a very special meaning. I realized that while discussing cultural differences with a Japanese. Pronouncing 42 sounds like "death" or "to die". No hotel in Japan has a room 42. After knowing that it is hard to think that Doug Adams was not aware of that meaning. Best, Tinu