h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now if we break down 42 into it's two parts, 4 and 2, and look at the numbers through the alchemist's point of view we find something very unique. First off, 4 represents fire and 2 represents water. Having a fire, followed by having water in the same place (as noted by the 4 and 2 in succesion) generally means that you will have a large mess of water and ashes. What Douglas Adams was trying to tell us about life with these damp ashes no-one can be sure. Only time will tell.

...but isn't the interaction between fire and water like always part of alchemy... you always see potions bubbling over a flame... maybe he's saying that the answer is Alchemy?

Now if we apply the same principles discussed earlier to Shamanism we get even more baffling results. Four becomes the eagle, whale, or ram. Three becomes an owl or dolphin. So as I see it, it explains that an eagle of fire somehow connects to a dolphin made of water (using the alchemy principles too). An eagle can also represent freedom. A dolphin can symbolize the spirit of play. So what Douglas Adams is saying by this is that freedom should "burn" and a fun for all system should be adapted. I personally fail to see how this could be the question or answer to life, the universe, and everything, but my feeble mind is no match for that of Mr. Adams so I shall wait for a time when I am meant to understand.

HHmmm...how does this sound...The senario events of Universe are the regenerative interactions of all otherness and me.

erm... it sounds... erm... very dactyllic?

Has it not been thouroughly established that dolphins do not play but are trying very hard to communicate with us? Should dolphins not be the spirits of trying hard and communicating?
What this says about eagles and freedom and fire I'm not sure. Perhaps we should be abandoning the freedom flyer packages and try hard to communicate something about not getting wet, I dont know. Gibber, gibber...

Only when it's stuck in my ear, which is almost never.

I'm scared... I'm really very scared...

RELAX...it's not your ear I'm talking about is it?

You're on the right track, but I believe that, that shamanism thing tells us to play (2, the dolphin, 'spirit of play') and alchemy tells us 'bout fire (4, fire). So the meaning of life is to play with fire

I think since a whole bunch of animals, and fire, and water, and other potentially dangerous items are involved, what Douglas Adams is trying to say is we will all die in a flood which resulted because we tried to put out a fire. therefore water will be everywhere and Dolphins (2) and eagles (4) will eat our corpses.