The Antikythera mechanism: Greeks amaze again
The Antikythera mechanism: the Greeks amaze again
seminar room from group Science, Reason and Faith (CRYF).
Christián Carlos Carman. Pamplona, 6 February 2012.
Christián Carlos Carman, researcher attachment of CONICET (committee ) and researcher-professor attachment ordinary of the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Member of the Commission for the History of Ancient and Medieval Astronomy of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and of the Philosophy of Science Association and founding member of the association de Philosophy e Historia de la Ciencia del Cono Sur (AFHIC).
summaryIn 1902, the remains of a complex mechanism were recovered off the coast of Antikythera, at a depth of more than 40 metres, which was later dated to the 2nd century BC. Although there are important programs of study in the 1970s, at the beginning of the present decade, with the work of Michael Wright and the team led by Tony Freeth, the main functions of the mechanism have been clarified. It had more than 30 gears and, by means of different pointers, it showed the position of the Sun in the zodiac, the day of the year according to the Egyptian calendar, the day and month in a complicated "lunisolar" calendar and even served to predict eclipses, among many other things. At seminar room the speaker will briefly outline the history of finding, show its main functions and list the consequences for the history of technology and astronomy, as well as its implications for the Philosophy of science.