01-07-2019, 11:37 AM
01-07-2019, 11:37 AM
01-07-2019, 01:36 PM
The voynich.nu link goes to the Currier paper, and I am also not sure that it is the best example.
Anyway, with respect to the criticism issued by Gordon Rugg, this is quite an interesting situation, as this criticism is directed not in a small part to the 'amateur community', which includes the very people who are arguing with each other in the various online fora.
I think the scientific world isn't nearly as affected as he suggests. I agree that big faults are to be found with the low-profile online journals and with the media who just copy and spread everything they get their hands on.
However, and I think that this is the main point I have, this situation is not particular to the Voynich MS. There are several other areas where there is an amateur interest that ignores true scientific work.
But let me start with a counter-example, and this is astronomy.
Professional and amateur astronomers co-exist in peace and mutual respect.
The same cannot be said about, for example, egyptology. The controversy seems to have subsided a bit, or perhaps I have not followed it anymore. It might be an interesting off-topic discssion to find other examples.
The main difference is that there was a real controversy. With the Voynich MS, there isn't actually a large body of scientific work.
Anyway, with respect to the criticism issued by Gordon Rugg, this is quite an interesting situation, as this criticism is directed not in a small part to the 'amateur community', which includes the very people who are arguing with each other in the various online fora.
I think the scientific world isn't nearly as affected as he suggests. I agree that big faults are to be found with the low-profile online journals and with the media who just copy and spread everything they get their hands on.
However, and I think that this is the main point I have, this situation is not particular to the Voynich MS. There are several other areas where there is an amateur interest that ignores true scientific work.
But let me start with a counter-example, and this is astronomy.
Professional and amateur astronomers co-exist in peace and mutual respect.
The same cannot be said about, for example, egyptology. The controversy seems to have subsided a bit, or perhaps I have not followed it anymore. It might be an interesting off-topic discssion to find other examples.
The main difference is that there was a real controversy. With the Voynich MS, there isn't actually a large body of scientific work.
01-07-2019, 03:27 PM
Right, Rene, another example would be medical science. Badly executed studies are constantly picked up by the media, misrepresented and blown out of proportion. A recent example is the supposed claim that children are growing literal horns from their skulls by using smartphones.