Does this excerpt make any sense mathematically? Specifically:
>A formula for the temporal relation between two unsyncopated flashes would translate spatially into the algebraic formula for an ellipse, I could see.
I don't know how you'd model a function for it that would translate into the formula for an ellipse, but the author has enough knowledge of math that I don't think he'd just put a bunch of random words together.
Book is Infinite Jest if you're curious.