On February 23, a film by Joel Schumacher, starring Jim Carrey, entitled ‘The number 23’ will be released. The story centers on a book given to the main character (Carrey) that seems to echo the events of his life and prominently features the phenomena known as “The 23 Riddle”. The riddle of 23 is the belief that every event is somehow related to the number 23. This is sometimes mistakenly attributed to the science of numerology, although that is incorrect. Like the ‘9-11’ phenomenon in which coincidences of the number 911 are recorded and listed, the 23 puzzle may be no more than one particular example of the confirmation bias in the cognitive theory known as apophenia – the experience of finding connections or patterns in random and meaningless data. Supporters of the 911 phenomenon find a good deal of these matches by manipulating numbers to arrive at the desired result (denying the possibility of a true match) and many of the examples given in the many lists on the 23 puzzle share this trait. Robert Anton Wilson himself, whose work explores some of these interesting coincidences regarding the number 23, comments that the phenomenon simply shows how the mind can find the ‘truth’ in anything if it wishes to see it.
However, there are some genuine coincidences (or synchronicities) that feature the number 23, and it is often interesting to consider them as harmless diversions, some of which we will list here. Due to popular culture, there are also many cases where the enigma is intentionally evoked in artistic works that feature some reference to 23. If you decide to tentatively accept the phenomenon as a true example of synchronicity in action, don’t be surprised if you start to see the number 23 everywhere, as it becomes what is known in psychology as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whether you see it or not, have fun. 23 times!
Curiosities of the number 23
The physical biorhythm cycle is said to be 23 days. Blood takes 23 seconds to circulate through the human body. The male and female each contribute 23 chromosomes during conception. Every 23 angstroms a complete turn of the DNA helix is produced. The number of joints in the human arm is 23. There are 23 vertebrae in the human body. Tantrists believe that the male sexual cycle is 23 days.
Shakespeare was born on April 23. Shakespeare died on April 23. Two 23’s equals 46 and that was how old Shakespeare was when the KJV was published. Pick up a King James Version of the Bible and turn to Psalm 46. Count 46 words and you’ll come to the word ‘shake’. Go to the end of the chapter and count backwards 46 words and the word you end on is ‘spear’.
The ancient Egyptians celebrated the New Year on July 23, the day Sirius rises behind the sun.
The ideal orbit, the Clarke orbit, for a satellite is 23,000 miles above the earth.
The first prime number in which both digits are prime and add to another prime number is 23.
The 23rd letter of the alphabet, W, has 3 points up and 2 points down.
Two thirds or 2/3 equals .666.
The first Morse code transmission is reported to have been “What has God done?”. A biblical quote from Numbers 23:23.
Alexander the Great was 23 years old when he cut the Gordian knot and Caesar is reported to have been stabbed 23 times. The Knights Templar had 23 Grand Masters.
The “Day the Music Died” was February 3 or 2-3. This was, of course, the day that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died.
Devin Hester, whose jersey number is 23, becomes the first person to return the kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl (XLI).
Now how many more instances of mystery 23 can you find??
Copyright Jakob Steele 2007
