mu

5 definitions found

mu - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  mu \mu\ n. (m[=u])
     The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet ([mu], [MU]).
     [WordNet 1.5]

mu - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  mu
      n 1: the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet

mu - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  Mu
  
     <character> (Greek letter).
  
     1. <unit> /micro/ prefix denoting division by 10^6, e.g. mu m
     (micrometre, a millionth part of a metre).  Sometimes written
     as a 'u', the ASCII character nearest in appearance.
  
     2. <mathematics> /myoo/ In the theory of functions, mu x . E
     denotes the least value of x for which E = x, i.e. the least fixed point
      of the function \ x . E.  The recursive
     function mu f . H f satisfies (and is defined by) the equation
  
     	mu f . H f = H (mu f . H f)
  
     An alternative notation for the same function is
  
     	fix H = H (fix H)
  
     See fixed point combinator.
  
     3. <database> multiple value.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-10-30)
  

  mu
  
     1. <networking> The country code for Mauritius.
  
     2. <philosophy> /moo/ The correct answer to the classic trick
     question "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?".  Assuming
     that you have no wife or you have never beaten your wife, the
     answer "yes" is wrong because it implies that you used to beat
     your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse because it
     suggests that you have one and are still beating her.
     According to various Discordians and Douglas Hofstadter the
     correct answer is usually "mu", a Japanese word alleged to
     mean "Your question cannot be answered because it depends on
     incorrect assumptions".
  
     Hackers tend to be sensitive to logical inadequacies in
     language, and many have adopted this suggestion with
     enthusiasm.  The word "mu" is actually from Chinese, meaning
     "nothing"; it is used in mainstream Japanese in that sense,
     but native speakers do not recognise the Discordian
     question-denying use.  It almost certainly derives from
     overgeneralisation of the answer in the following well-known
     Rinzei Zen teaching riddle:
  
     A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have the Buddha nature?"
     Joshu retorted, "Mu!"
  
     See also has the X nature, AI Koan.
  
     [Douglas Hofstadter, "Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden
     Braid"].
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (2000-11-22)
  

mu - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  mu
   /moo/
  
     The correct answer to the classic trick question "Have you stopped
     beating your wife yet?". Assuming that you have no wife or you have
     never beaten your wife, the answer "yes" is wrong because it implies
     that you used to beat your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse
     because it suggests that you have one and are still beating her.
     According to various Discordians and Douglas Hofstadter the correct
     answer is usually "mu", a Japanese word alleged to mean "Your
  question
     cannot be answered because it depends on incorrect assumptions".
     Hackers tend to be sensitive to logical inadequacies in language, and
     many have adopted this suggestion with enthusiasm. The word `mu' is
     actually from Chinese, meaning `nothing'; it is used in mainstream
     Japanese in that sense. In Chinese it can also mean "have not" (as in
     "I have not done it"), or "lack of", which may or may not be a
     definite, complete 'nothing'). Native speakers of Japanese do not
     recognize the Discordian question-denying use, which almost certainly
     derives from overgeneralization of the answer in the following
     well-known Rinzai Zen koan:
  
    A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have the Buddha nature?" Joshu
    retorted, "Mu!"
  
     See also has the X nature, Some AI Koans, and Douglas Hofstadter's
     Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid (pointer in the
     Bibliography in Appendix C.