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Wikipedia and Marvel both list wolverines main mutation as a Healing Factor. A healing factor of...what? 2? 3? Over 9000?
Every time I've used the term 'factor' in the sense of it describing something (ie Warp Factor) it always has a scale attached to it. Is this true for Wolverine's ability?
If not, them why isn't his power simply called 'accelerated healing'?
His power IS defined as hyper-accelerated healing.
The phrase "healing factor" should be considered in light of the definition of the word factor:
The term "healing factor" is not about a mathematical expression, per se, this is more of an accepted euphemism.
It's because they aren't as mathematical as you are. The same goes for when people say 100%. 100% of what? A percentage means nothing if not applied to something. Along those lines, it should be called a healing multiple, because a factor is a part of something. SO, like you said the only reason it should be called a factor is if we know the factor, and if the "Factor" is considered the basis of healing. i.e. his factor is 5 versus a non-mutant factor of 1, and these factors are multiplied to a universal healing amount.
