July 28, 2017 anaximander and the antikythera mechanism
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ANAXIMANDER AND THE ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISM Recently considerable play has been given in the press, and in particular the New York Times, to the so-called “Antikythera mechanism,” described as “a strange mechanism with bronze wheels and dials removed from an ancient shipwreck off the coast of Greece.” Dating from the second century BC, the device has been conjectured to be “an instrument that calculated and illustrated astronomical information, particularly the phases of the moon ad planetary motions.” (Quotations from the Times article by John Noble Wilford; an ample account of the mechanism and its literature is given in the Wikpedia.) A glance at the latest computerized reconstruction of the mechanism as discussed in Nature by Freeth and Edwards reveals a striking similarity to the model of the universe of Anaximander of Miletus, based not on the Aristotelian celestial spheres but rather on planes defined by chariot wheels, and depicted on pages 226-27 of Couprie et. al (2003). The close resemblance strongly suggests the conjecture that Antikythera-mechanism actually represents a pre-Aristotelian model of the universe based on an astronomical tradition emanating from Anaximander. This tradition was, apparently, decidedly mechanical in nature rather than purely geometric, thereby reflecting a kinship with early Greek thought, preceding the influence of Pythagoreanism. It warrants note that the one major piece of the Antikythera-mechanism that has survived intact is just exactly the chariot wheel that lies at the core of Anaximander’s cosmology (see p. 222 of Couprie, et. al.). Nicholas Rescher rescher@pitt.edu References Anonymous, “Antikythera mechanism,” Wikipedia (redactionof 3 December, 2006). Couprie, Dirk L.; Robert Hahn; And Gerard Naddorf, Anaximander in Context (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2003). Freeth, Tony and ten others, “Decoding the Ancient Greek Astronomical Calculator Known as the Antikythera Mechanism,” Nature No. 444 (November 30, 2006). Hahn, Robert, Anaximander and the Architects (Albany: SUNY PRESSM 2001). Rescher, Nicholas, “Cosmic Evvolution in Anaximander,” Studium Generale, vol. 11 (1958), pp. 718-33. Wilfred, John Noble, “An Ancient Computer—A Millennium Before It’s Time” The New York Times, (Tuesday, November 30, 2006). Directory: 3078 3078 -> Standard whii. 12c) explaining the terms of the peace, the war crimes trials, the division of Europe, plans to rebuild Germany and Japan Download 7.32 Kb. Share with your friends:
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