Why four digits?

[madman]

why do spiders have eight legs?

[Na'vi_supporter]

Evolution is conservative in a way that it won't change properties that work well. Of course there could be beings with less or more fingers, but obviously 5-fingers version survived and this don't neccesary mean any connection with digits count. Maybe it was only coincidence and because 5-digits caused no real troubles it remained unchanged. You can find that many animals have 5-digits...so it it looks like common gene.

[Boomachucka]

Originally Posted by Na'vi_supporter

Well this gonna be little oftopic...
Every 3 binary digits (000-111) equal one octal digit(0-7)
000=0, 001=1, 010=2, 011 = 3 ... 111 = 7.
The best of all is fact that u can do conversion to binary just by using simple rewriting rules mentioned above (in fact u can do similar thing with all numeral system with base of power 2 (2^n) where the binary number has n digits).

So for example binary byte 01011110 = 136 in octal. "Rewriting rules" must be used from right to letf, from the lowest exponent to the highest. So you really don't need any numerical operations here, and can be very easily converted. (btw more usefull nowadays is hexadecimal system...)

See, that makes perfect sense, but I'm still used to thinking in base2/base10 rather than base2/base8 because I never use it for anything, so I still find it more complicated!

[Sacred Tsahaylu]

Originally Posted by neytirifanboy

Yeah, I was thinking the pinkie is pretty useless anyway. It is actually quite redundant. Perhaps the the Na'vi hand is more efficient with four stronger fingers.

It's not unnecessary! We need it so that it can point up when we drink

[Na'vi_supporter]

Originally Posted by Boomachucka

See, that makes perfect sense, but I'm still used to thinking in base2/base10 rather than base2/base8 because I never use it for anything, so I still find it more complicated!

Yeah I understand you tsmukan. Hell...it was strange for me when I was dragged into using it. It's all about "get used to".

[madman]

The Na'vi could last longer through finger nail torture. That makes 4 digits better!

[Na'vi_supporter]

Originally Posted by madman

The Na'vi could last longer through finger nail torture. That makes 4 digits better!

So it looks like they are prepared to be more resistent to RDA, because noone else is so devilish.

[Boomachucka]

Originally Posted by Na'vi_supporter

Yeah I understand you tsmukan. Hell...it was strange for me when I was dragged into using it. It's all about "get used to".

Pretty much, it's just like problem solving for programming. It's a mental paradigm shift

Originally Posted by Sacred Tsahaylu

It's not unnecessary! We need it so that it can point up when we drink

Hahahahaha! Good point!

[Apollo]

My belief is that we have five digit attachments because our bodies new a bit more extra support holding weights. If we had 3 digits, we would lack one tendon, extensors, and flexors to help us pick up heavy things.

Another theory might be that since we need to balance ourselves, there was an uneven weight distribution through the body and quick evolution solved that issue with more 'balance' juice in our ears and 4 digits.

[Pa'li Makto]

Originally Posted by txen

Another question is "why do we have five?"

As far as I know most apes have 5 digits, and apes and humans all share a common ancestor so we must have shared their trait..

[Human No More]

It's just evolutionary chance, the same as how there's no reason we have 5 as opposed to 6.

Originally Posted by madman

I bet you could have your pinky finger surgically removed

I thought about it... But I would only do it as part of more extensive Na'vi modifications (skin colour, possibly face/nose) which won't happen for various reasons, even if I want it

[madman]

Originally Posted by Human No More

It's just evolutionary chance, the same as how there's no reason we have 5 as opposed to 6.


I thought about it... But I would only do it as part of more extensive Na'vi modifications (skin colour, possibly face/nose) which won't happen for various reasons, even if I want it

This guy didn't let anything stop him from recreating himself..

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by madman

This guy didn't let anything stop him from recreating himself..

Yeah, I've seen that before.

Main barrier to me becoming more Na'vi is cost. Also, when I considered it, I was thinking more about what other people would think of me, but I no longer care what others think I guess
The other problem is just feasibility, as there is still no way to get a good tail or Na'vi ears (plus getting all my skin blue would be expensive, time consuming, difficult and painful...)

[Aquaplant]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Main barrier to me becoming more Na'vi is cost. Also, when I considered it, I was thinking more about what other people would think of me, but I no longer care what others think I guess
The other problem is just feasibility, as there is still no way to get a good tail or Na'vi ears (plus getting all my skin blue would be expensive, time consuming, difficult and painful...)

What good would simple outward appearance do, when on the inside one would still be same with all the faults of human nature to go with, so what's the point?

[JakeFanGirl]

We have five digits to be better able to grasp things - the human hand had a lot to do with our own evolution. I am OK with the Nav'vi having for digits - as long as they have thumbs (which are very important), which they do, then it's fine.