Lookin' for a weighty word....
September 30, 2010 12:27 PM Subscribe
I am looking for an adjective that means something like 'sufficiently ambiguous (but encouraging enough) such that one can project their desires into [it] and find validation.' anyone got a fit?
I'd like to tap such a word to title a series of slides in a presentation i'm giving soon. The topic concerns data from single-molecule biophysics experiments, and I want to drive home the point that the statistics of such data are such that you can find an example of pretty much _anything_ you want if you look long and hard enough for it (thus arguing for better methods of automated data harvesting to eliminate bias). Also, just seems like it would be a cool word to know :)
a friend suggested 'horoscopic' which is in the right vein, but not as elegant as i'd like....
I'd like to tap such a word to title a series of slides in a presentation i'm giving soon. The topic concerns data from single-molecule biophysics experiments, and I want to drive home the point that the statistics of such data are such that you can find an example of pretty much _anything_ you want if you look long and hard enough for it (thus arguing for better methods of automated data harvesting to eliminate bias). Also, just seems like it would be a cool word to know :)
a friend suggested 'horoscopic' which is in the right vein, but not as elegant as i'd like....
First thing that comes to mind is hermeneutics.
posted by jardinier at 12:34 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by jardinier at 12:34 PM on September 30, 2010
Oracular? This is usually used in the sense of "enigmatic and obscure", but you could easily twist it to fit.
posted by vorfeed at 12:39 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by vorfeed at 12:39 PM on September 30, 2010
Horoscope.
posted by CathyG at 12:44 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by CathyG at 12:44 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
multivalent?
projection-amenable?
open-ended?
ambiguous?
infinitely-interpretable?
posted by Paquda at 12:50 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
projection-amenable?
open-ended?
ambiguous?
infinitely-interpretable?
posted by Paquda at 12:50 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd go with horoscopic, although I just made that up. Rorschach would also do, sort of.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:59 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by Sys Rq at 12:59 PM on September 30, 2010
Pareidoliac
Oooh, I like this concept, except "pareidoliac" would suggest to me the person experiencing pareidolia, not the data/image/etc. which inspires the pareidolia (which I think is what armheadarmlegleg is looking for). If we're coining a word, I'd suggest "pareidoligenic," but I can't find any evidence that this is a pre-existing word.
Daughter: Daddy, daddy, doesn't that cloud look like a rabbit?
Father: Yes, dear, it's a very pareidoligenic cloud.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:10 PM on September 30, 2010
Oooh, I like this concept, except "pareidoliac" would suggest to me the person experiencing pareidolia, not the data/image/etc. which inspires the pareidolia (which I think is what armheadarmlegleg is looking for). If we're coining a word, I'd suggest "pareidoligenic," but I can't find any evidence that this is a pre-existing word.
Daughter: Daddy, daddy, doesn't that cloud look like a rabbit?
Father: Yes, dear, it's a very pareidoligenic cloud.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:10 PM on September 30, 2010
multivalent
Polyvalent
Those have specific technical meanings in biochemistry and molecular biology, specifically in regards to immunoglobulins, so they're probably best avoided when used to mean something else in a biophysics presentation.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:15 PM on September 30, 2010
Polyvalent
Those have specific technical meanings in biochemistry and molecular biology, specifically in regards to immunoglobulins, so they're probably best avoided when used to mean something else in a biophysics presentation.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:15 PM on September 30, 2010
sirenic means something tempting, seductive or alluring, with the added inference that following or exploring such a thing will lead you to your doom.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:48 PM on September 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:48 PM on September 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
Eisegesis (as opposed to exegesis) is the process of reading a (usually religious) text to support one's pre-existing ideas. So eisegetical? (It's a real word, I promise.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:51 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:51 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Not an adjective per se, but the Mirror of Erised, from Harry Potter, expresses the idea of seeing-what-you-want-to-see pretty well I think. Plus it's a fun/goofy literary reference.
posted by schmichael at 1:56 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by schmichael at 1:56 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sounds almost like confirmation bias.
Perusing that wikipedia entry leads to a nice list of cognitive biases, which includes wishful thinking and mayhap's contribution (pareidolia), which, if made into pareidoliac, would seem to suit your task.
posted by notyou at 2:03 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Perusing that wikipedia entry leads to a nice list of cognitive biases, which includes wishful thinking and mayhap's contribution (pareidolia), which, if made into pareidoliac, would seem to suit your task.
posted by notyou at 2:03 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Misconstruable?
posted by contraption at 2:22 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by contraption at 2:22 PM on September 30, 2010
I'd go with either Barnumian or Forerian.
For these to be helpful, though, people have to already be familiar with the Forer effect or you might have to take a moment to explain.
I also really like idb's suggestion of malleable.
posted by chatongriffes at 2:33 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
For these to be helpful, though, people have to already be familiar with the Forer effect or you might have to take a moment to explain.
I also really like idb's suggestion of malleable.
posted by chatongriffes at 2:33 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
polyhoroscopic
posted by yoyoceramic at 2:58 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by yoyoceramic at 2:58 PM on September 30, 2010
I immediately thought 'horoscopic' too -- even before reading to the end of your question and seeing that your friend suggested it as well! So consider that a +1. Or, in the same vein, how about
astrological
tasseographic
oracular (hmm. ?)
I also like pareidoliac a lot.
posted by kestrel251 at 4:10 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
astrological
tasseographic
oracular (hmm. ?)
I also like pareidoliac a lot.
posted by kestrel251 at 4:10 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was also going to say malleable.
posted by unknowncommand at 6:27 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by unknowncommand at 6:27 PM on September 30, 2010
Oracular.
posted by joe lisboa at 8:50 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by joe lisboa at 8:50 PM on September 30, 2010
Suggestive.
posted by birdsquared at 9:58 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by birdsquared at 9:58 PM on September 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by theodolite at 12:31 PM on September 30, 2010