Table of Contents
The Janus Revelation (08/2013)
08/01/2013
ULTRA
A designation used by British Intelligence during World War II for highly classified intelligence, usually decrypted messages originally enciphered using the German Enigma machine
08/02/2013
APPERCEPTION
Understanding a new experience by relating it to past experiences.
08/03/2013
LOST
When your physical surroundings no longer match your mental map.
08/04/2013
LIMEN
The threshold of psychological or physiological perception.
08/05/2013
EXOGENOUS
Having an origin external to an organism.
08/06/2013
CREST
The point on a wave where upwards velocity is at its maximum.
08/07/2013
SCORCHED EARTH
A military strategy based on the wanton destroy of any and all infrastructure in order to render it useless to an enemy.
08/08/2013
CIPHER
An algorithm for accurately and repeatedly encoding and decoding data or language. From the Arabic 'sifr,' meaning zero. It's hypothesized the word came to be used in this fashion as the concept of zero was cryptic and far fetched in medieval Europe.
08/09/2013
POLYSEMY
The capability of a word, sign or symbol to have multiple potential meanings.
08/10/2013
ALETHIOLOGY
The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of truth.
08/11/2013
BEHAVIORAL CUSP
A new behavior that has significant consequences because it exposes an organism to new environments or interactions.
08/12/2013
THYMOLOGY
The historical study of how mental processes have determined human actions.
08/13/2013
CONVERGENCE ZONE
An atmospheric region where two prevailing weather flows collide.
08/14/2013
FACT-VALUE DISTINCTION
The difference between what we believe to be true and what we believe to be right.
08/15/2013
METOUSIOSIS
From Greek. The transformation of one's nature.
08/16/2013
PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON
The doctrine that there is an adequate explanation for the presence and attributes of everything that exists.
08/17/2013
ACOUSMATIC SOUND
A sound that is heard, though the original source is unseen.
08/18/2013
EXISTENCE THEOREM
In mathematics, the statement that an object exists, even if the means of finding the object are unknown.
08/19/2013
CARRIER SIGNAL
A consistent stream of data designed to contain a message by being modulated against the message data over the course of a transmission.
08/20/2013
MIRROR NEURON
A neuron that responds similarly when an animal acts or watches another animal performing the same action.
08/21/2013
TABULA RASA
"Blank slate" in Latin. The mind in its originally clear state before being affected by impressions or experiences.
08/22/2013
PERFECT STORM
An unusual combination of occurrences that cause a critical situation.
08/23/2013
CALL AND RESPONSE
In music, a set of two tonal phrases in a piece of music. The second phrase is a musical response to the first.
08/24/2013
POLYTELY
From Greek, meaning "many goals," when solving a complicated problem involves a number of concurrent objectives.
08/25/2013
SYNCHRONICITY
A meaningful coincidence of events without a causal relationship.
08/26/2013
COLLECTIVE INTENTIONALITY
When a group of people directs their thoughts or actions towards the same object or goal.
08/27/2013
REPRESENTATIVE REALISM
The theory that our observations of the external world are our interpretations, rather than direct perceptions.
08/28/2013
DISTRIBUTED KNOWLEDGE
When the partial knowledge of a individuals in a group results in a collective and complete awareness.
08/29/2013
STIGMERGY
A spontaneous system of coordination between organisms, where residual traces left by one lead to the ensuing action of another.
08/30/2013
HOLISM
The theory that systems in nature should be seen as interacting wholes that are greater than the sum of their individual parts.
08/31/2013
ANIMA MUNDI
From Latin, the "World Soul," the idea that all living beings in our world are connected by a common spirit.