Why is 42... the Answer?

Question

I got to thinking about this and came up with something interesting. Does this make sense to anyone else?

Many systems in our world are based on the number 6... compass, timekeeping, etc. Those systems work very well because they're divisible by either 2 or 3. The next prime is 5, but that number is used to achieve the decimal system, which brings us to 7. So we have 2, 3, and 7, producing 42. Was Douglas Adams thinking of a base 42 system as the next logical step and one capable of higher levels of reasoning? Thoughts, comments, anything you care to add, all are appreciated.

Answer 1

Do you own a TARDIS?

Answer 2

> "Many systems in our world are based on the number 6... compass, timekeeping, etc. Those systems work very well because they're divisible by either 2 or 3."

Actually, degrees and time are both in 6s because that was the counting-system of the Babylonians, who measured that we had 360 days in a solar year (98.6% accurate isn't bad).  Hence 360 degrees in a circle, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute.

However - quoting from Wikipedia:

"The 'What do you get if you multiply six by nine?' question that Arthur and Ford discover near the end of Restaurant at the End of the Universe may not be the actual question. It was Ford's theory that the answer was, in fact, imprinted on Arthur's brain patterns and could be revealed by introducing a random element into the mix. This is done by Arthur pulling Scrabble tiles out of a bag. Recalling the fact that the Golgofrinchans actually replaced the original "human" inhabitants of Earth leads most readers to believe that the "Six by Nine" question is not the actual one the Earth was created to compute.

While 6 x 9 does not equal 42 in base 10 mathematics, it does equal 42 in base 13. However Douglas Adams dismissed this possibility by stating that even he doesn't "make jokes in base thirteen". He later affirmed that the use of 42 "was a joke", and he hadn't intended the number to have a hidden meaning."

Answer 3

"The next prime is 5, but that number is used to achieve the decimal system."

Huh?

First, how is it used to 'achieve' the decimal system?  Second, why is this a justification to 'skip' it?  Third, do you honestly think that Douglas Adams was following this same convoluted reasoning when he came up with the number 42?

Answer 4

'When you understand the question, you will understand the answer'

Answer 5

No I am not sure Doug thought anything of the kind. He was too worried about the bulldozer that suddenly appeared at his front door!

Answer 6

Douglas Adams was asked many times during his career why he chose the number 42. Many theories were proposed,  but he rejected them all.

The Ultimate answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is...

(You're not going to like it...) is... 42

  Which suggests that what you really need to know is 'What was the Question?'.