03 NUMEROLOGY
<p><b>Numerology</b> is any belief in the divine, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism" title="Mysticism">mystical</a> relationship between a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number" title="Number">number</a> and one or more <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coincidence#Interpretation" title="Coincidence">coinciding</a> events.<sup id="cite_ref-skepdic_1-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology#cite_note-skepdic-1">[1]</a></sup></p>
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It is also the study of the numerical value of the letters in words, names and ideas. It is often associated with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranormal" title="Paranormal">paranormal</a>, alongside <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology" title="Astrology">astrology</a> and similar <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divination" title="Divination">divinatory</a> arts.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup></p>
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Despite the long history of numerological ideas, the word "numerology" is not recorded in English before c.1907.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology#cite_note-3">[3]</a></sup></p>
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The term <b>numerologist</b> can be used for those who place faith in numerical patterns and draw pseudo-scientific inferences from them, even if those people do not practice traditional numerology. For example, in his 1997 book <i>Numerology: Or What Pythagoras Wrought</i>, mathematician <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwood_Dudley" title="Underwood Dudley">Underwood Dudley</a> uses the term to discuss practitioners of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_wave_principle" title="Elliott wave principle">Elliott wave principle</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_market" title="Stock market">stock market</a> analysis.</p>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras" title="Pythagoras">Pythagoras</a> and other philosophers of the time believed that because mathematical concepts were more "practical" (easier to regulate and classify) than physical ones, they had greater actuality. St. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo" title="Augustine of Hippo">Augustine of Hippo</a> (A.D. 354–430) wrote "Numbers are the Universal language offered by the deity to humans as confirmation of the truth." Similar to Pythagoras, he too believed that everything had numerical relationships and it was up to the mind to seek and investigate the secrets of these relationships or have them revealed by divine grace. See <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology_and_the_Church_Fathers" title="Numerology and the Church Fathers">Numerology and the Church Fathers</a> for early Christian beliefs on the subject.</p>