Humble Pi...

When I was a little ‘un, I believed that the Greek number pi was called pi because it defined the circumference of a circle in relation to the diameter. Pies are round and so is the circle, see? Every school kid knows that pi = 3.1415….ad infinitum cm. If the diameter of a circle is 10 cm, then the circumference is 31.415….ad infinitum cm. Unlike the square, the circle and its solid, the sphere, occur everywhere in nature. Countless fruits are round, electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom in a circular path, and Earth and its orbit around the sun, are round. Why does the natural world gravitate (ooops!) towards circularity? In a perfect circle (actually quite rare) each point on the circumference is exactly the same distance from the centre. In a natural system where every piece of matter gravitates to the lowest level of energy, the circle pops up again and again.
The circle really is the microcosm that defines the macrocosm. In metaphysics, the circle is an important symbol of eternity, that is, without beginning and without end. Perfect, you might say, but like the moon, the circle has a dark side. A circular argument is one that no one can win because it goes round in circles. You can ride a bicycle (two circles) to get somewhere, but being trapped in a cycle means you are getting nowhere. Where do I finish this article?