On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Bob Sneidar <b...@twft.com> wrote: > Since the subject was broached using textual analysis of Biblical passages as > an example, I will respond in like kind. If anyone will be offended at this, > please, stop reading, close the email, and ignore any future posts to this > thread by me. I've given fair warning. Please no flames. > > This linked article is a perfect case in point for why software based textual > analysis does NOT work well for the purposes that some may intend. Part of > the problem is that it relies upon a number of assumptions, human assumptions > no less (for all software is really a reflection of the developer), not the > least of which is that a single author can have only one style of writing. > Paul for example, was one of the most learned Hebrew scholars of his time, as > well but was raised in the Grecian society and well schooled in their ways > and traditions. When writing to the Gentiles, you will find that his style > was distinctly different from the book of Hebrews, where he wrote to his > fellow countrymen about what Christianity means to the Jew, to the Torah (the > books of the law) and to those Hebrews who had embraced Christianity. The > differences have cause no end of disagreement among the learned about who > really wrote the book of Hebrews. Some say it was Peter or John, but then the > same difficulty arises when comparing Hebrews to other Biblical writings of > those authors. > > In response to the specific example in the article about the book of Isaiah, > Jesus quoted from the two sections of Isaiah, commonly believed by > "progressive" critics to be written by two different "Isaiahs", saying in the > second quote, "That same Isaiah...". There are some who believe there were 5 > or 6 Isaiahs, although this is considered "fringe" even by the majority of > the progressive critics. > > Even in the mainstream, many critics believe that Isaiah was written AFTER > the time of Christ, mainly due to the very specific prophecies about the > Christ which are too many to name here. (That is a pretty nice trick, seeing > that the Dead Sea Scrolls contain parts that the scholars say came after > Christ, but no archaeologist in his right mind would contend the Dead Sea > Scrolls are post Christ!) > > Now I don't think it takes a genius to see that if Jesus was wrong about > anything, then his whole claim to be the Son of God lies in ruins, and we can > only pity him as a self deluded fool, or worse yet, a vile deceiver. But if > His claims are true, then it is the critics who are to be pitied. Because > they are simply and completely wrong. > > I can tell you that when I am typing an email of this nature, my grammar and > tone morphs into something much more formal and precise. When I email my > friends about a funny joke, my writing style is very much different. Software > analysis of all I have ever written from my first essay in grade school to > now would probably conclude there are 20 of me. > > All that to say this: Software may be able to turn up some interesting facets > of writing styles, and we may be able to learn something from it, but it is > not the software that fails us here. It is humans who put way too much value > in the apparent results than are warranted. I guess people cannot help but > grab ahold of what they can, so they can believe what they want to believe, > on either side of the issue. Software cannot fix that. > > Bob
A very insightful reply... thank you Bob! Best regards, David C. _______________________________________________ use-livecode mailing list use-livecode@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode
