Comments on: Antikythera Mechanism: The First Known Computer?

By: Polifimos

Polifimos — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:22:10 +0000

Interactive Relighting of the Antikythera Mechanism by HP:

http://www.hpl.hp.com/research/ptm/antikythera_mechanism/index.html

By: Plato

Plato — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:11:52 +0000

Hello Bill, I find it interesting that what had been presumed about cultures at a specific time may have had surprises for us? I found this too, in regards to the "Megalithic carved stone balls from Scotland." I mentioned "ooparts" at Clifford's blog. This is a interesting side note about what we may find that is different from what we had presumed in terms of the time and place.

While occasional discoveries, such as the Antikythera mechanism, have forced scientists to reassess the technology of ancient civilization, critics regard most cases of OOPArt as the result of mistaken interpretation or wishful thinking. Supporters regard them as evidence that mainstream science is overlooking huge areas of knowledge, either willfully or through ignorance.

Good article information you've supplied.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 11:08:13 +0000

Another possibility is the mellow climate of the northeastern Mediterranean. It provides easier access to food, makes it easier to take long night strolls under the starfull heavens (there was no light polution in ancient times), and gives time to ponder what this is all about; as opposed to the more utilitarian concerns of northern people, who had to develop organizational skills to survive the harsh Winter. I think this is key.
Another is easy access to other advanced civilizations. For instance, Pythagoras, who studied in Egypt and Babylon, and then Plato dedicated their intellectual lives to sacred geometry – a geometry that went beyond the utilitarian concerns of modern geometry, as it incorporated philosophy, religion, astronomy, etc. The Antikythera mechanism fits perfectly in this context; it is simply an implementation of some of these ideas. Given how much may have been lost in the transition to the Roman civilization, and then early Christianity, we may indeed be reinventing the wheel in many areas.

By: Alun

Alun — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:00:44 +0000

I think the needs point is very important. For instance, the Greeks would have had access to the steam engine, we know this from reports of Heron’s work. Nonetheless it was only used to power novelties rather than for any serious work, due to the abundance of poor people. Employing a lot of people is puts you in a much stronger position in local politics than employing a technician to maintain a device that you cannot operate yourself.