2006-11-05 16:23:34 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Yes it is referred as six degrees of separation. It actually goes that out of six people who know just one other in the group, you will find one who knows some one you know.
2006-11-05 16:31:32 · answer #1 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. There doesn't seem to be any good evidence for it. The idea is partly based on Stanley Milgram's experiment in which people in the US were told to send postcards to people they knew with the ultimate intention of contacting a "target" a person living away from them (but still in the US) and unknown to them. The average number of connections in those cards that reached their targets was 6, which supports this idea. But that was just within the US, and, more importantly, less than 5% of cards reached their targets. Over 95% of the original cards never made it.
Think about it for yourself, imagine a random person in Chad. Odds are, you neither know any person from Chad, or anybody who has been to Chad recently. Its also unlikely that any of the people you know would know such a person either. You would need, at the least, several connections just to get to a person within the country, and then more to find the specific person. Of course this isn't a scientific experiment, but it seems pretty unlikely that you could get to that person through only 6 others or less. And this doesn't even count isolated tribes.
I think its an urban legend.
2006-11-05 16:50:30 · answer #2 · answered by student_of_life 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up the article entitled, "Plato with a side of Kevin Bacon" by Robert Fulford (published in the "National Post" Oct. 24, 2006). Robert Fulford (a University of Toronto professor) explains the origins of "six degrees of separation" (it pre-dates Stanley Milgram's experiments), and he provides some interesting observations.
2006-11-06 11:01:58 · answer #3 · answered by abbie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Yahoo! 360 only, I have been connected to more that 6 users. So, I am definetely connected to a lot more than that in my entire life. Or are you inspired by the book 'Five people you meet in heaven'?
2006-11-05 17:08:55 · answer #4 · answered by Fun Fearless!! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt that very much. Maybe in a small town or something. I don't know a lot of people, so I double there are 6 others that could lead me to anyone.
2006-11-05 16:34:53 · answer #5 · answered by Sydmom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I havent heard of it, but I can see the reasoning. interesting theory. after all, how many times do we find out that a person you just met is friend of a friend of a friend...
crazy but true.
Solitude, open your mind, just because you havent heard of it doesnt make it any less real. your limitation is acute and your delusions of great knowledge flawed. though to err is human.
2006-11-05 16:35:04 · answer #6 · answered by SAINT G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know about just 6 people. WE have unity with God through the heart in unconditional love. I met this saint from india, she said if I am in my heart and you are in your heart we have union in the heart of God. Every one is connected to God. "God dwells within you as you". As a drop of water is water be it a raindrop or the oceam.
2006-11-05 16:34:11 · answer #7 · answered by Weldon 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
its called the 6 degree angle.
it means that everyone knows each other or is related to each other by just 6 people.
like they say.....its a small world after all.
2006-11-05 16:26:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is called six degrees of separation.
I believe it is very possible.
I have had some very amazing coincidences in my lilfe that leads me to believe that this just might be possible.
2006-11-05 16:47:56 · answer #9 · answered by clcalifornia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No..... what about the people that don't have friends? or those people who have been thrown out to the world to fend for themselves?
Under your premise, those people don't exist.
So no.
2006-11-05 18:05:53 · answer #10 · answered by Roka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋