The Noble Eightfold Path

[Rene]

Is there anyone familiar with this subject?

[Rene]

I was interested in the connection with the periodic table.

For context, in 1961 the American theoretical physicist Murray Gell-Mann referred to his organisational scheme for hadrons as the Eightfold Way, because of the octets of particles in the classification. Being widely read, he did so in allusion to the Eightfold Path of Buddhism.

The number eight further holds a special place in the structure of the periodic table, reflecting deeper principles about the nature of our universe. Theoretical astrophysicist and cosmologist Vincent Icke articulated this connection, stating: 

"In the periodic table of the elements, this regularity shows up as the famous “period eight”: chemical elements can be arranged in eight columns, in each of which elements with comparable chemical properties are grouped together. The number eight follows directly from the rotational symmetry in three-dimensional space. In other dimensions that number would be different. If we did not know that we live in three-space, we would be able to deduce that fact from the eightfold period in the table of the elements."

Icke V 1995, The Force of Symmetry, Cambridge University Press, New York, p. 158

Looking closer at the Eightfold Path...

1. right view

2. right intention

—> Understanding leads to harmonious motivation

3. right speech

4. right action

—> Ethical speech aligns with ethical actions

5. right livelihood

6. right effort

—> Ethical living is sustained by diligent effort

7. right mindfulness

8. right concentration

—> Mindfulness supports awareness

...I argue that the eight steps are cyclic and self-sustaining. Here, step 8., “right concentration” enables step 1., “right view”. Fittingly, the eightfold path is often represented in the form of an eight-spoked wheel, known as the Dharmachakra, or wheel of dharma, as attached.

The connection to the periodic table is that just as the eightfold path is cyclic so is the periodic law. In Mendeleev’s day, the cycle would have been eightfold. These days we know the periodic table is made up of blocks that have widths of 2, 6, 10 and 14 elements. Here, 2+6, 6+10, 10+14, and 14+18 each sum to multiples of eight ie, 8, 16, 24, 32 or 8n.

Just as Mendeleev used the periodic table in attempts to predict the properties of missing elements, one of the early triumphs of the Eightfold Way was the prediction of the existence of a heavy subatomic particle—the omega-minus—required to complete one of the groups. It was discovered in 1964.

I welcome your thoughts on any other connections between the number 8 and the periodic table.

René

[Larry T.]

Then why not 8-period Periodic table with 120 (8x15) elements?
Larry.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Periodic table mailing list" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to PT-L+uns...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PT-L/6A2585B6-AC4B-4D05-A81D-658DA7FABE26%40webone.com.au.

[Rene]

On 9 Jun 2024, at 22:59, Larry T. <ora...@gmail.com> wrote:

Then why not 8-period Periodic table with 120 (8x15) elements?
Larry.

120 wouldn't mean anything IF we happened to synthesise 121 as there'd then be nine periods.

OTOH, it’d be quite something if ordinary matter stopped precisely at 120.

René

[Larry T.]

Yes, the word IF becomes more and more relevant. I've read somewhere that current technology allows synthesis of 119 and 120 at best and the synthesis of elements heavier than 120 is not likely in near future, if ever.

Best Regards,

V. "Larry" Tsimmerman