Longer Addresses

That longer addreses specify locations with greater accuracy is part of our common experience. Let's abandon geometrical abstraction and turn to our own sense of place.

Where are you?

At some fairly crude level, you are on the earth.

More precisely, you are in North America, on the earth.

Still more precisely, you are in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

You are in Connecticut, in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

You are in New Haven, in Connecticut, in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

You are at Yale University, in New Haven, in Connecticut, in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

You are in LOM 201, at Yale University, in New Haven, in Connecticut, in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

You are in the second row, third seat, in LOM 201, at Yale University, in New Haven, in Connecticut, in the United States, in North America, on the earth.

This general kind of description has been familiar to us from childhood, so we have known for years that a longer address specifies location more precisely.

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