The disagreement involved a resolution by the
committee to establish a fixed frame of cardinal
directions to be used for the organized division
of known space into a theoretical grid.
It was agreed unanimously that the benefits
of a fixed frame of reference would be
profound in ecumenical studies of astronomy,
temporal logistics, naturally in space exploration.
The disagreement occurred over which direction
was to be deemed “up.” There was a surprising
diversity of opinions on the subject. It was
astonishing how vehemently each participant
held to the particular set of barely
articulated assumptions and cultural
prejudices that gave rise to
a specific definition of up. The entire
project threatened to founder the first
day, before a single point was
triangulated. Fortunately, an older
scholar of spiritual texts, who was there
mainly for the luncheon, suggested they
simply make a new system of measurements -
new cardinal points, new axis coordinates -
and assign them randomly. “Each of
us,” he said, “will in the inmost heart
know which way is truly up.”
You can read an explanation of the origin of these lyrics here
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