Are the 1430s the most likely date range for the Zodiac drawings?

[Mark Knowles]

I was fully aware that the question I raised in this thread was going to be controversial. Personally I think that is not a vice and arguably a virtue. I have always had sympathy with the notion, I believe originated by Hegel, of the dialectic method, meaning the idea of having a thesis, an antithesis and a synthesis. That is not to say that I don't believe what I have said or that I am playing a Devil's advocate rather that I think there is value in opposing ideas being placed against each other and lead to justify themselves. I think this approach, ultimately, leads to more robust arguments being developed. I think it is good to challenge arguments even though for the person who produced the argument, whether me or someone else, it can be disconcerting, frustrating and aggravating at times to have to address them. I have often been suspicious of consensus. Obviously there are numerous areas where there is a justifiable consensus. However sometimes consensus can be a result of a desire not to rock the boat or a lack of courage by people to challenge orthodoxy or an undue sense of deference to the originator of an idea. So, if at times, my comments seem provocative well I don't think that is necessarily a problem. As long as one is dealing with possibly provocative statements about arguments or ideas and not personal statements directed at people; I have always tried to stick to arguments not insults.