Why is five a useful number for fingers and toes?

I could l live without my pinkies, they get in the way, but sometimes they are handly when I'm typing fast, but on the feet they're useless

I hate only having 5 fingers. I need like 12.

But I'm a guitarist, I'm sure a pianist wishes he had more fingers as well.

Originally posted by Protector
Nature replicates in the order of a Fibanacci Sequence... that is...

0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21 etc

where the previous two states create the next state....

f sub n = f sub n-1 + f sub n-2
f(n)=f(n-1)+f(n-2) (sorta - as a recursive relationship)
where f(0) = 0 and f(1) = 1 (our initial conditions)




[edit on 11-6-2006 by Protector]

yes indeed,

and the metaphysical leaning among us would say that this law
is also known as sacred geometry.

starfish have 5 points,
many many other examples exist,
also look at the Da Vinci man-in-a-circle drawing; of a spread eagled person
= the 4 arms legs, & the head make the magic 5 geometry is another perspective.

the '5' is a biological ?imperitive?,or something deep in molecules & genes...
but [i think] '6' is the 'magic' number for crystals, snowflakes and other non-organic structures...i could be confused about it though, so look it up yourselves
if it has a light going off in your head.

I am sorta going off the top of my head but I would have sworn reading somewhere that 6 fingers was a dominate gene

Originally posted by Arcane Demesne
I hate only having 5 fingers. I need like 12.

But I'm a guitarist...

There, you nailed it. We have five fingers in order to be able to play extended jazz chords, boogie rhythms and classical fingerstyle (the little finger being used as a positioning and orientation device).

By the way, desert, your husband asks really interesting questions.

I too am a guitarist and would love to have more fingers. But what about more arms, still having 5 fingers but you could do more with three hands with 5 fingers than you can with 2 hands with 10 fingers. i would be an awsome drummer i know that. I disagree with the point that 'as we evolve, our two little fingers will be gone' although most grey pics ive seen do only have 3 hands, having those extra finger help alot, whether you know it or not.

But what about more arms

Do you mean something like this:



This boy will face a world of hurt. He will be in surgery most of his young life.

Taipei Times







[edit on 6/18/2006 by bodebliss]

Originally posted by bodebliss
Do you mean something like this...

Personally, I might prefer something like this:



Just imagine what you could do with eight arms (40 fingers!) and a trunk...

Originally posted by Arcane Demesne
I hate only having 5 fingers. I need like 12.

But I'm a guitarist, I'm sure a pianist wishes he had more fingers as well.

What... are you kidding? It took me long enough to get my mind wrapped around using ten fingers independant of each other... I dont need any more to practice with thank you. A broader reach would be nice, something more than an octave and 2 notes...

would be cool to reach a full 2 octaves with one hand.