# The Sound of One Hand Clapping

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 10, 1999, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55 "1999-05-10T04:26:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 1999, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55/1 "1999-05-10T04:26:00Z")

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Actually, Terry Pratchett had another explanation for the sound of one hand clapping: CL. The other hand makes the AP.

On a related note, ‘Mu’ is an interesting word, actually meaning "Your question cannot be answered with a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. A typical example of such a question is “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?” (unless, of course, you actually happen to beat your wife).

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 1999, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55/2 "1999-05-12T23:27:00Z")

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Deep questions - (taken from the book Sponging)  
What is the sound of one hand clapping?

## What is the sound of one-thousand hands clapping? And don’t you wish you knew?

“On the edge of sleep, I awoke to a sun so bright…”

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 1999, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55/3 "1999-05-13T15:32:00Z")

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A thousand? Being deaf, I suppose that even I could guess what that would sound like. The sound of any given group of sounds is very close to ‘AUM’.  
Stand outside a big city and listen.

As for the sound of 1 hand clapping? The answer is you shake the hand of the person asking the question. duh duh…🙂

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**Author:** ![Sotaku\_Meikou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Sotaku\_Meikou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sotaku_Meikou)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55/4 "2001-07-01T21:03:42Z")

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The sound of two hands clapping is both hand working together. the sound of two hands…is Violence.  
A bit if wisdom from my dear ol’ dad, Zenmaster Werebear.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/55/5 "2001-07-01T21:44:21Z")

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Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:  
[What is the sound of one hand clapping?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_049.html)

The column can also be found on pages 49-50 of Cecil Adams’ book «[_The Straight Dope_](http://www.straightdope.com/otheroutlets/books.html)».

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