(28-04-2020, 02:42 PM)Ruby Novacna Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Rene, whether his article is acceptable or not, I deplore the current lack of cooperation. Admittedly, I'm not at the origin of this forum and I cannot transform it into a Voynich Sanctuary where the researchers could come to meditate and draw their inspiration, but I have the naivety to hope it, nevertheless.
I do sympathise Ruby. There can be a tendency at times for all of us to treat other researchers and well as one another with some disregard. However I strongly doubt that is confined to Voynich researchers, but rather not uncommon across academia and the wider world.
I don't think Gerard is right and I communicated to him around the time he first started his research that I think he was going along to wrong path. Whilst on a couple of occasions he acknowledged that he might be wrong, overall he was pretty stubborn; though I don't thinking sticking to what one believes is true when others disagree is intrinsically a problem as long as one is open and has considered alternatives.
Whilst I have been critical of appeals to authority I do think Koen's background in historical linguistics is relevant given that Gerard does not have any such background.
I think people can be understandably frustrated when they see theory after theory from theorists with a steadfast conviction that they are right and an unwillingness to engage with an open mind with the community. Ultimately it is a two way street, so it is not only the communities fault if they don't gel.
I have found the whole Gerard Cheshire situation frustrating and frankly a bit sad; I mean I wouldn't want to get international publicity and acclaim only to have that later reversed publicly. It is a bit like having one's sporting medal reclaimed or literary prize cancelled; in short it is a bit embarrasing and humiliating. I am sure he believed(s) his theory, but just can't see that he is wrong. Also people sometimes don't like to back down and admit their mistakes. People can also get emotionally invested in their theories. I think when you have put a significant amount of time and energy into something then it is hard to admit to oneself that it was all for nothing; I wonder if that is related to the cognitive bias towards "loss aversion".
Nevertheless, we could easily over-emphasise how friendly the Voynich community is, but probably compared to twitter it is a realm of pure tolerance and harmony.