Fleas on fleas

The Fool · 06-07-2005, 20:47

There is an expression about fleas having fleas on them (trying to prove it to a young disbeliever). Does anyone have a link for an image of this phenomenon. Tried to Google it but found nothing

Theodoric · 06-07-2005, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fool

There is an expression about fleas having fleas on them (trying to prove it to a young disbeliever). Does anyone have a link for an image of this phenomenon. Tried to Google it but found nothing

IIRC, it's Pope (or one of his contemporaries).

Racks decaying brain.

Big fleas have little fleas,
Upon their backs to bite'em.
Little fleas have lesser fleas,
And so ad infinitum.

EDIT But definitely check Google, 'cos I'm not sure if I've got it word perfect.

Jules · 06-07-2005, 20:53

Thats because unless they are mating it doesn't happen

Graham · 07-07-2005, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fool

There is an expression about fleas having fleas on them (trying to prove it to a young disbeliever). Does anyone have a link for an image of this phenomenon. Tried to Google it but found nothing

So naturalists observe a flea,
Has smaller fleas on which them prey
And these have smaller still to bite'em
And so proceed ad infinitum.

- Jonathan Swift

Although the version I learned at school was:

Greater fleas have lesser fleas,
Upon their backs to bite'em
And lesser fleas have smaller fleas,
And so on, ad infinitum.

As to pictures, try looking for "infinite regression" as a suggestion.

The Fool · 07-07-2005, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

So naturalists observe a flea,
Has smaller fleas on which them prey
And these have smaller still to bite'em
And so proceed ad infinitum.

- Jonathan Swift

Although the version I learned at school was:

Greater fleas have lesser fleas,
Upon their backs to bite'em
And lesser fleas have smaller fleas,
And so on, ad infinitum.

As to pictures, try looking for "infinite regression" as a suggestion.

thanks, but no joy with that search.

07-07-2005, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fool

thanks, but no joy with that search.

try 'search within results' for mandelbrot

The Fool · 07-07-2005, 00:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

try 'search within results' for mandelbrot

looked. no good - I think there is no image uploaded

Theodoric · 07-07-2005, 11:10

Having googled, I find that my version was actually written by De Morgan (a mathematician, IIRC).

"Great fleas have little fleas
Upon their backs to bite 'em
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
And so ad infinitum"

DeMorgan, (1915)