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On Sunday, September 17, 2012, I added notes to the section entitled, Speculation About the Mechanism's Purpose. I had noted the existing speculation was by Derek_J._de_Solla_Price and was otherwise unsourced. Price's speculation was then followed by unsourced refutation, leaving the matter entirely in the air.
I suggested the device was intended for working astrologers, as a mechanical ephemeris. I am, myself, a working astrologer. In this area, and as a publisher, I have published new - legal - editions of David Pingree's translation of Dorotheus_of_Sidon's Carmen Astrologicum (1st century CE); Ancient Astrology Theory and Practice/Matheseos Libri VIII, by Julius_Firmicus_Maternus (4th century CE), the translation by Jean Rhys Bram; R. Ramsay Wright's 1934 translation of The Book of Instruction by Abū_Rayḥān_al-Bīrūnī (11th century CE); as well as a new edition of the J.M. Ashmand translation of the Proclus paraphrase of Claudius Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos (2nd century CE). Presently I working on an edition of Mark Riley's translation of the Anthologies of Vettius_Valens (2nd century CE). This will be its first time in print, by the way, I am working with the permission and cooperation of Prof. Riley himself. Elsewhere I have published a definitive new edition of William_Lilly's Christian_Astrology, of 1647, as well as other, more obscure, early works. It may therefore be said that my opinions in this matter have weight. I am well-read in the area of early astrology, having studied Otto_E._Neugebauer, Van Hosen and Kroll, in addition to David_Pingree and Mark Riley, all established experts in early Greek astrology, and none of them astrologers. While I may be a horrid astrologer, I am not "in-universe." I have an extensive resume. Or would you rather I simply denied the bit where I admit I'm an astrologer? I'm well-known in the field, but Wiki may just be so insular that Wiki will never find out.
I was surprised to see that my suggested use of the Antikythera mechanism was removed in less than 24 hours. Elsewhere I have learned that Wiki has an express policy that prohibits the promotion of "pseudoscience" in any fashion whatever. Pseudoscience - astrology is one of the worst examples - may not be linked or associated in any fashion with proper, legitimate, legal science. Here is part of it: Pseudoscience may be significant as a social phenomenon, but it should not obfuscate the description of mainstream scientific views. Any mention of pseudoscientific views should be proportionate to the rest of the article. (found here: Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/FAQ#Pseudoscience This is Wiki's express policy, I have now seen and experienced it in the past 24 hours. Without any note that a deletion was made.
So it would appear that if the ancients developed something for the aid of astrologers and if such a device "fell out" and became disassociated with astrology and was then found and mislabeled as some other kind of artifact, and if an astrologer came upon this and, after careful study, realized its true nature and made a speculative case for it, he will be prohibited from speaking. Even in a section clearly labeled as Speculation ! In this case, it's not that my remarks were "unsourced." The existing Wiki section is itself unsourced, being 1. idle speculation followed by, 2. unsourced refutation of idle speculation (shoot yourself in the foot?). I had mentioned the mechanical ephemeris idea in the previous Talk page, which generated much comment, but which Wiki has recently archived, which is to say, removed from public attention. Why was this done?
Despite Wiki's beliefs, astrologers eat, piss, shit and fuck just like everyone else. We are people. Like all intelligent apes, we have tools. So if the Antikythera mechanism is in fact a mechanical ephemeris, an astrological tool, what should we do about it? Is this a matter for Occam's_razor? (If it looks like a duck, etc.) Or is that to be applied selectively?
If the original purpose of this device is no longer acceptable, we could be honest and say, "This is an astrological device, therefore it is junk and to be discarded." I think I would understand that, I think I would be okay with that. Which might surprise you, but as astrology was thrown away 350 years ago, astrologers have become accustomed to looking in refuse heaps (Oxyrhynchus). (Aside from the Egyptian site, whatever we find in a dump is ours, by the way. Since no one wants it, no one will bother us.) But we don't want to throw Antikythera mechanism away because we have foolishly become emotionally attached to it. It's such a lovely piece of work, it means so very much, it must have been intended for some approved use. We just have to discover what it was! - But after a century, what is that "approved use" - ?
When anthropologists go into the field, they are strongly cautioned about Ethnocentrism. Western science in general, and Wiki in particular, have a very bad case of it. Dave of Maryland (talk) 16:13, 17 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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