The error, its identification and elimination play an essential role in the scientific process. Especially with regard to the issue scientific error, Wilhelm von Moerbeke’s Treatise on Geomancy (Geomantia) is an important source. The author does not just compile the information available at his time, or provide a (more or less) detailed list of dogmatic predefined predictions; he rather enriches his geomantic doctrine with reflections on error and tries herewith to contribute to the consolidation and the scientification of geomancy. Although Wilhelm’s text does present innovative elements in relation to the “science of geomancy” (scientia geomantiae), the limits of this science should not be disregarded. Also in this light, Wilhelm’s treatise proves to be an invaluable witness. While retaining and adopting the traditional basic rules for creating geomantic figures, this text shows a strong casuistic hypertrophy and an extraordinary astrological complexity. It is within this complexity that the geomant primarily moves with his intuition and empathy, grounding his predictive judgements on a degree of approximation that is virtually uncontrollable, and thus moving away from what we would understand as a true experimental check.
Irrtum in geomantischen Wissenschaften. Die ‚Geomantia‘ des Wilhelm von Moerbeke
Elisa Rubino
2018-01-01
Abstract
The error, its identification and elimination play an essential role in the scientific process. Especially with regard to the issue scientific error, Wilhelm von Moerbeke’s Treatise on Geomancy (Geomantia) is an important source. The author does not just compile the information available at his time, or provide a (more or less) detailed list of dogmatic predefined predictions; he rather enriches his geomantic doctrine with reflections on error and tries herewith to contribute to the consolidation and the scientification of geomancy. Although Wilhelm’s text does present innovative elements in relation to the “science of geomancy” (scientia geomantiae), the limits of this science should not be disregarded. Also in this light, Wilhelm’s treatise proves to be an invaluable witness. While retaining and adopting the traditional basic rules for creating geomantic figures, this text shows a strong casuistic hypertrophy and an extraordinary astrological complexity. It is within this complexity that the geomant primarily moves with his intuition and empathy, grounding his predictive judgements on a degree of approximation that is virtually uncontrollable, and thus moving away from what we would understand as a true experimental check.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
