Very small objects

Thursday 21 July 2005 — This is 20 years old. Be careful.

I can’t tell if this is science or art (or maybe both, or maybe a joke). Brian Collier has devised the Collier Classification System for Very Small Objects. He’s invented a scheme for creating “names” for very small objects encountered in the world. For example, a resistor is dubbed Nelifrag Buildielectro tanecylismothbuglik, because it is a fragment that was never alive, found in a building, used in electronics, tan, cylindrical, smooth, and generally bug-shaped. Like I said, is it science, art, or an elaborate joke?

Comments

[gravatar]
James Kew 11:49 PM on 21 Jul 2005
The "exhibitions" page suggests art...
[gravatar]
Ned Batchelder 7:02 AM on 22 Jul 2005
I saw the exhibitions page, but that doesn't rule out the other possibilities, especially "elaborate joke".
[gravatar]
Pete Lyons 9:44 AM on 22 Jul 2005
Biological categorization is always a split between art and science and often has a touch of humor added in. This system captures that essence perfectly. I think it's brilliant.
[gravatar]
Chris Smith 2:53 PM on 22 Jul 2005
Pete pegged it.
Ontology has been around formally for a while, going back to Aristotle.
It's almost as heavy as the Perliodic Table of Operators.

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