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Trethevy Quoit

A clean slate? (or should that be granite?)

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nigelswift N
nigelswift May 6, 2011 05:59:22
Replying to stonefree

"We don't yet know which of these effects were intended, or whether they all were, but there are far too many for serendipity or mere coincidence."

On the contrary, I was musing to myself there are far too many for credibility!
Arguing that something exhibits "intentionality" is one thing, proposing it had LOTS of functions rather undermines the assertion, like saying a pencil was deliberately made both to write with and to hold up to track the movement of the sun. It could have been but it's not convincing. If one goes further and says it was also deliberately made to observe the corona AS WELL then it's less than unconvincing.

S StoneGloves
StoneGloves May 6, 2011 06:18:45
Replying to nigelswift

So it's not lens flare after all! What does one call the stars that may be seen after hitting oneself on the head with a hammer? Was this technique employed at prehistoric monuments? And if not, why not?

S Sanctuary
Sanctuary May 6, 2011 06:27:19
Replying to nigelswift

nigelswift wrote:
"We don't yet know which of these effects were intended, or whether they all were, but there are far too many for serendipity or mere coincidence."

On the contrary, I was musing to myself there are far too many for credibility!
Arguing that something exhibits "intentionality" is one thing, proposing it had LOTS of functions rather undermines the assertion, like saying a pencil was deliberately made both to write with and to hold up to track the movement of the sun. It could have been but it's not convincing. If one goes further and says it was also deliberately made to observe the corona AS WELL then it's less than unconvincing.

Nigel, this photo taken from the front of the dolmen clearly shows how 'off-centre' the capstone has become to the closure stone which is its only frontol support. You will also notice how the capstone is leaning to the left. In my opinion it is most likely that the capstone has slipped (and is continuing to slip). My main point though is that when in its correct position the 'hole' would be to the outside of the side flanker and not over the catflap area thus making your viewing position from beneath not as suitable for observation.

http://i26.servimg.com/u/f26/16/16/85/69/p1010015.jpg

R Rhiannon
Rhiannon May 6, 2011 06:35:37
Replying to nigelswift

Kind of like Occams Razor (well not quite). You've doubtless said it before, Nigel, but the human brain is programmed to see patterns in things and extrapolate from that. Often that's led to sensible death-avoiding situations, and so it's got evolutionary advantage. But sometimes it leads to people interpreting coincidences as meaningful (wow I thought of Aunt Marie and then she phoned, we must be psychic). And hopefully, a scientific method can help you sort out the two.

(Nigel, I was waiting in the queue at the cinema last night and I could hear two women next to me discussing their homeopathy tablets and even more gah-producing, kinesiology. I resisted saying something, obviously. Though it was so tempting. But they wouldn't have appreciated it. Still it's their money they're wasting innit. God I'm getting grumpy in my old age.)