State of the Voynich 2020

[davidjackson]

[*]1. Yes
[*]2. No
[*]3. Yes
[*]4. Yes
[*]5. No
[*]6. No
[*]7. No
[*]8. Yes
[*]9. Yes
[*]10. Yes
[*]11. No
[*]12. No
[*]13. No
[*]14. No
[*]15. Dunno, I can't remember what I had for lunch never mind what happened a couple of years ago (go on then, Yes)


PS: After posting, I checked my answers from 2017. That was fun! Strange to see how younger me was a far more carefree, optimistic person...

[Anton]

I checked my answers also, and only one answer differs - that about the "known historical person".

[Linda]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

1. Does the text contain any meaning? Yes, at least i hope so. It seems that way to me.
   
2. Has the text been purposefully enciphered to conceal its meaning? Yes. For personal use, i think, and not for competitors' eyes, so hidden in plain sight.
   
3. Do the images match the text? Yes, i would expect so.
   
4. Are the plants meant to refer to real plants? Yes, but hiding behind mnemonic representations and or unknown plants drawn from descriptions perhaps.
   
5. Is the majority of the plants exotic from a European perspective (Asian, African, American...)? No although i suppose my answer could also be yes in that i think they represent a wide region and therefore not all would occur in any one place. Depends on what you nmean by European perspective. It seems like several come from bare root propagation, which to me denotes travel of said root. But it could be that it is all from Europe.
   
6. Have the images been made ambiguous or otherwise strange to conceal their true meaning? Yes. I think quire 13 is a mnemonic portolan chart but even when suggested as such, people cannot seem to see the possibiilty so i am either wrong or able to see through the strangeness.
   
7. Is alchemy an important part of the manuscript? No
   
8. Is astronomy and/or astrology an important part of the MS? Yes, in terms of time and navigation.
   
9. Is medicine an important part of the MS? No, although in terms of plant usage i might expect some medical related info.
   
10. Is the MS the creative product of one mind, i.e. an author? (Taking into account the possibility that one or more scribes helped to fashion the physical manuscript). Yes
    
11. Is the MS authored by a known historical figure? No. I had thought possibly a geographer but then they would just make a copy the regular way, seems like maybe someone who had access though.
    
12. Will we ever be able to read the MS? Yes 
    
13. Will there be any breakthrough in Voynich studies in 2020? Yes, i hope so.
    
14. Is the MS any kind of hoax? No
    
15. Have (part of) your views about the MS changed notably over the last few years? No, not really as far as i can recall.
    

Lets compare from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.


02-01-2017, 01:28 AM

1. Yes
   
   
2. Yes
   
   
3. Yes
   
   
4. Yes
   
   
5. No
   
   
6. Yes
   
   
7. No
   
   
8. Yes
   
   
9. No
   
   
10. Yes
    
    
11. No
    
    
12. Yes
    
    
13. Yes
    
    
14. No
    

1. Open questions:
   
   
2. Geography/History 
   
   
3. Geography/History
   
   
4. Greek, Latin, perhaps others such as Aramaic, Syriac, etc.
   

[Koen G]

Strange to see how younger me was a far more carefree, optimistic person...

This appears to be a general trend. Three years ago, 16 members answered the poll and a whopping 93% expected a breakthrough in 2017. For 2020 we're currently at a 22% breakthrough expecting rate. Maybe the more optimistic members are still asleep

[Searcher]

1. Yes. 
2. Yes. 
3. Partially. (sorry)
4. Yes.
5. No. (Not majority)
6. No.
7. Yes.
8. Yes.
9. Yes.
10. Yes.
11. No.
12. Yes.
13. No.
14. No.
15. No.

[Koen G]

Ten entries already, keep 'em coming!

[R. Sale]

Sorry to gum up the works, but my answer to the majority of these questions has to be 'mu'. I don't believe there is sufficient data currently available to say  'yes' or 'no' with any real conviction  - with a few exceptions.  So the only real question is whether hope still triumphs over experience.

On the other hand, perhaps there has been some real progress.

6. Have the images been made ambiguous or otherwise strange to conceal their true meaning?  YES
The best example is the VMs cosmos.

8. Is astronomy and/or astrology an important part of the MS?  YES
Not a large part, but a key role. Based of the VMs cosmos.

[RenegadeHealer]

1. Yes
   
2. No
   
3. Yes
   
4. Yes
   
5. No
   
6. Yes
   
7. Yes
   
8. Yes
   
9. Yes
   
10. Yes
    
11. No
    
12. Yes
    
13. Yes
    
14. No
    
15. Yes
    

[Anton]

For 2020 we're currently at a 22% breakthrough expecting rate.

That's a good sign. The breakhrough comes when least expected!

[DONJCH]

My answers, for what it's worth and so you know where I'm coming from.

1 N
2 N
3 N
4 Y
5 N
6 Y
7 N
8 Y
9 Y
10 N
11 N
12 N
13 N
14 Y
15 Y