Pencil and the Lead

[Cavirfi]

Out of the usual political threads we have on this subforum, let us discuss a topic of perception; which are you more focused on?

Consider the hypothetical: You have a pencil and the lead broke, so what do you do? You get a sharpener of course and once you sharpen the pencil, the lead sharpens obviously.

Now here is a simple question: How do you see the pencil; is the lead shorter or longer; did the pencil get shorter or did the lead get longer, or did all 3 happen?

As an optimist you would think the lead got longer; as a pessimist you would think both got shorter, as a realist; you would see all 3 scenarios happen at the same time.

So NSG: What happened to the pencil and the lead?

[Resilient Acceleration]

Both get shorter. I mean, try to look at the remnants on the table/collector, there'll be lead powder there. If you take a millimeter screw and measure the pencil's total lead, it's empirically shorter, there isn't really any scenario that exists where new lead suddenly grow on top of the existing lead.

[Cavirfi]

Both get shorter. I mean, try to look at the remnants on the table/collector, there'll be lead powder there.

I sometimes see the lead as longer however in a metaphorical sense; that basically means people sometimes take things at surface level.

[Farnhamia]

Both get shorter. I mean, try to look at the remnants on the table/collector, there'll be lead powder there. If you take a millimeter screw and measure the pencil's total lead, it's empirically shorter, there isn't really any scenario that exists where new lead suddenly grow on top of the existing lead.

But what if you replace the "lead" with carbon nanotubes?

Actually, you're exactly right?

[Drew Durrnil]

Both get shorter, but the lead gets longer in proportion to the pencil.

[Resilient Acceleration]

I guess the problem is in the definition. "Total lead", including the ones inside the pencil, or "amount of lead visibly exposed"? If it's the amount of lead exposed, then yea it gets longer.

[Cavirfi]

I guess the problem is in the definition. "Total lead", including the ones inside the pencil, or "exposed lead"?

That's why I didn't define it; it's all up to perception.

[Heloin]

You describe sharpening a pencil as lengthening the pencil lead?

[Cavirfi]

You describe sharpening a pencil as lengthening the pencil lead?

Sometimes.

[Infected Mushroom]

I tend to notice that the pencil gets shorter. This is especially true when I’m using a 4B or 5B.

I don’t think about whether the lead got longer or shorter, I think in terms of its shape (it becomes more triangular so that it’s easier to manipulate on the paper).

[Heloin]

You describe sharpening a pencil as lengthening the pencil lead?

Sometimes.

You can't lengthen something by subtracting material. Stretching the existing material or adding additional material yes but not by subtracting, that's physically impossible.

[Cavirfi]

Sometimes.

You can't lengthen something by subtracting material. Stretching the existing material or adding additional material yes but not by subtracting, that's physically impossible.

I mean if it is the total lead, you are not lengthening. But if it is the exposed lead on the other hand...

[New Swaraelia]

Philosophical questions to a web site of cynics, should go well.

That being said, the pencil's getting shorter and the lead's getting longer.

[The Blaatschapen]

Pencil gets shorter. Lead gets shorter.

[Heloin]

You can't lengthen something by subtracting material. Stretching the existing material or adding additional material yes but not by subtracting, that's physically impossible.

I mean if it is the total lead, you are not lengthening. But if it is the exposed lead on the other hand...

Then you're still shortening it.

[Cavirfi]

I mean if it is the total lead, you are not lengthening. But if it is the exposed lead on the other hand...

Then you're still shortening it.

Understandable, however this is a philosophical question, everyone knows that pencil and lead get shorter when sharpening, but in the heat of moment; some can forget that.

[Page]

The pencil and the lead (which is almost always not lead but graphite, exposing children to lead is a sensitive issue) both got shorter in relation to themselves but the lead got longer in relation to you as a human agent, because you define the lead by its usefulness in helping you write.

[Risottia]

But what if you replace the "lead" with carbon nanotubes?

Then you get a small wooden dart with an extremely sharp tip.
By the way, why do people call it "lead"? It's graphite.

[Page]

But what if you replace the "lead" with carbon nanotubes?

Then you get a small wooden dart with an extremely sharp tip.
By the way, why do people call it "lead"? It's graphite.

It's common parlance, at least in America. Bullets are also referred to as lead even though they're usually not.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

The pencil got shorter and the lead didn't as much.

[Ethel mermania]

Pencil gets shorter. Lead gets shorter.

And one step closer to Death

[Heloin]

Then you're still shortening it.

Understandable, however this is a philosophical question, everyone knows that pencil and lead get shorter when sharpening, but in the heat of moment; some can forget that.

No it isn’t. It only gets shorter.

[The Dodo Republic]

Both get shorter

[Hurdergaryp]

Now if you consider the pencil sharps to still be a, now external, part of the pencil, the pencil would actually become longer over time, assuming you allow the length of the collective pencil sharps to be added to that of the pencil.

[Thermodolia]

I’m fucking confused. Can someone ELI5 for me