Racing thoughts theatre presents

[dreamer_easy]

*electricity goes from one side of Kate's brane to the other*

1. Invocation of particular scientist as authority
2. Invocation of trustworthy religious figures as authorities
3. Reports in Hadith judged by good reputation of reporters
4. Mediaeval reliance on authorities (eg classical authors) vs Renaissance investigation
5. Galileo counts the horse's teeth while friends debate what Aristotle said on the subject (apocryphal)
6. Change from reliance on authority to reliance on own investigation an Enlightenment phenomenon?
7. Cf C19 upheavals leading to Fundamentalism?

Comments

[jblum.livejournal.com]

...see also: people frickin' refusing to check the primary sources for themselves even if they're right there on the net?

[outsdr.livejournal.com]

Erm... you're playing "Civilization" without the computer, aren't you?

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

GODZILLA! eeek

[outsdr.livejournal.com]

Followed your link, and a thought struck me:

Does oral history lose some of its power when it becomes written down? Oral history by its very nature is fluid and flexible... but when committed to paper (stone, what have you) it becomes a fixed point which can no longer be changed as easily, either by chance or by design.

Sorry, that was fairly random.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Hmm... written history is also only available to those who can read it - without printing, maybe only those who can read *and* visit a particular place where the inscription of whatever is.

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

You might find Clanchy's From Memory to Written Record of interest - it describes the emergence of literacy as a phenomenon in England. It's one of very few textbooks which I bought, sold, and then re-purchased...

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

That sounds fascinating! Ta!

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

If you haven't located a copy by the time you come to parts North, I can happily loan you mine (it IS a tad obscure...)

[alawston.livejournal.com]

For 4 & 5, see also Vesalius's observations on the circulatory system being resented for contradicting Galen (who, funnily enough, stressed the general desirability of readers chopping things up so they could see for themselves).