50% of the worlds objects are chairs and tables.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the claim that over 50% of the world's objects are chairs and tables. Participants explore this assertion from various angles, including the definitions of "objects," the distinction between man-made and natural items, and the context of the claim within everyday life and statistics.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the validity of the initial claim, suggesting that it may be an exaggeration or misunderstanding of what constitutes "objects."
  • One participant proposes that the claim might refer specifically to man-made objects, noting that in a typical Western home, chairs and tables would likely represent a small percentage of total items.
  • Another participant argues that there are likely more plants and insects than chairs and tables, challenging the initial assertion based on sheer numbers.
  • Some participants introduce humorous or tangential points, such as the idea that ice could be considered a chair or table, while others share personal anecdotes about items they frequently lose or discard.
  • There are multiple references to the discomfort of outdoor experiences, particularly related to camping and the presence of insects, which diverges from the original topic but reflects participants' personal experiences.
  • Several participants engage in a back-and-forth regarding the interpretation of percentages and statistics, with some correcting others on mathematical points and spelling errors.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the original claim. There are competing views regarding the definitions and categories of objects, as well as differing opinions on the prevalence of chairs and tables compared to other items in the world.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about what constitutes an "object" and the context in which the claim is made, which remain unresolved. Participants also express uncertainty about the accuracy of statistics and the implications of the claim.

Iyafrady
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Think about it.50+% of the wolrds objects are chairs or tables!
 
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Hmmm...might want to check your math.
 
lisab said:
Hmmm...might want to check your math.
I have seen quite a few rocks, trees, plants, etc, too. My property is not populated by furniture.

Perhaps the OP wanted to say that 50% of man-made objects are chairs and tables, though out of the many thousands of objects that might be found in a Western-society home, I would expect the percentage to be in the low single numbers.
 
Okay, I'll bite: why do you say that?
 
For sheer numbers, I expect that it would be either plants or insects.
With man-made objects, I'm pretty sure that there are more shoes and pants than chairs and tables.
 
Danger said:
For sheer numbers, I expect that it would be either plants or insects.
With man-made objects, I'm pretty sure that there are more shoes and pants than chairs and tables.

What would be more interesting might be to ask what you've probably thrown out the most in your life. Or what you've lost the most.


For me, that would have to be either pens or pencils.
 
FrancisZ said:
Okay, I'll bite: why do you say that?

75% of the world is covered in water and 50% of that water is ice.Ice can be used as a chair or table, thus 50% of the world is covered in chairs and tables.
 
FrancisZ said:
What would be more interesting might be to ask what you've probably thrown out the most in your life. Or what you've lost the most.


For me, that would have to be either pens or pencils.


...or sheets of paper?
 
Danger said:
For sheer numbers, I expect that it would be either plants or insects.
With man-made objects, I'm pretty sure that there are more shoes and pants than chairs and tables.
I vote for single-celled organisms.
 
  • #10
turbo-1 said:
I have seen quite a few rocks, trees, plants, etc, too. My property is not populated by furniture.

Perhaps the OP wanted to say that 50% of man-made objects are chairs and tables, though out of the many thousands of objects that might be found in a Western-society home, I would expect the percentage to be in the low single numbers.

Chairs and tables are made out of trees, trees are nothing but tables and chairs in their raw form, the world is covered in chairs and tables.Think about it.
 
  • #11
Iyafrady said:
Ice can be used as a chair or table

It can also be used as a toilet; that doesn't make it comfortable.
 
  • #12
Iyafrady said:
Chairs and tables are made out of trees, trees are nothing but tables and chairs in their raw form, the world is covered in chairs and tables.Think about it.

:smile:
 
  • #13
78% of statistics are made up on the spot.
 
  • #14
turbo-1 said:
I vote for single-celled organisms.

Good point. I overlooked that.
 
  • #15
Danger said:
It can also be used as a toilet; that doesn't make it comfortable.
As a frequent hunter, snowshoe enthusiast, and former X-country skier, I can attest to Danger's assertion. Dropping trou in the woods in the winter can be problematic, even if you find a nice downed tree in a spot that gets enough sun to melt off the frozen stuff.
 
  • #16
jimmysnyder said:
What's the other 99.5-%?
I think those are pieces of paper in government archives.
 
  • #17
jimmysnyder said:
What's the other 99.5-%?

Go back to school and learn something, 50% is half of 100% so you should ask what's the other 50% you dolt.
 
  • #18
turbo-1 said:
Dropping trou in the woods in the winter can be problematic, even if you find a nice downed tree in a spot that gets enough sun to melt off the frozen stuff.

That's the one main reason that I won't go camping. I have a firm policy of never going any place where the bugs outnumber the bathrooms.
 
  • #19
Iyafrady said:
Go back to school and learn something, 50% is half of 100% so you should ask what's the other 50% you dolt.

Don't be a troll!
 
  • #20
Iyafrady said:
Go back to school and learn something, 50% is half of 100% so you should ask what's the other 50% you dolt.

Knock off the personal insults. You forgot to hit the space key before your number, so it looks like .50%. I'm sure that several people were confused by that. And while we're at it, you spelled "world's" incorrectly.
 
  • #21
Danger said:
That's the one main reason that I won't go camping. I have a firm policy of never going any place where the bugs outnumber the bathrooms.
C'mon! With a name like Danger, you can't be scared of a little deer-tick, can you?
 
  • #22
Danger said:
That's the one main reason that I won't go camping. I have a firm policy of never going any place where the bugs outnumber the bathrooms.
You don't get out much I take it.;)
 
  • #23
:confused:
I don't even know whether or not we have deer ticks up here. We do have wood ticks.
Think though, of the discomfort of having a couple of thousand black-flies trying to crawl up your butt.
 
  • #24
Danger said:
:confused:
I don't even know whether or not we have deer ticks up here. We do have wood ticks.
Think though, of the discomfort of having a couple of thousand black-flies trying to crawl up your butt.
I live in Maine, and though I have spent considerable time in Canada, the fantastic environment (brooks, streams, rivers) here seems to provide us with bumper-crops of those nasty rascals every year. Those guys need flowing water to breed, and until you get anywhere near the coast, we've got that in spades.
 
  • #25
Locked pending decision on OP's fate.
 

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