Michael Dettelbach
@erdumwandler.bsky.social
Historian of science and technology, thinks "artificial intelligence" is both an oxymoron and a pleonasm. Possibly a panpsychist. Very occasionally posts longer mind-leavings on https://dettelblog.wordpress.com/.
Ach, der Fürst der Wissenschaft, der erhabene Herrscher von Gottes Gnaden im Reiche der Geister ist nicht mehr.
November 17, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Ach, der Fürst der Wissenschaft, der erhabene Herrscher von Gottes Gnaden im Reiche der Geister ist nicht mehr.
OK, which Victorianist is going to win this one? www.bonhams.com/auction/3093...
October 9, 2025 at 11:33 PM
OK, which Victorianist is going to win this one? www.bonhams.com/auction/3093...
The more asters we have, the further we are from dis-aster.
September 23, 2025 at 2:00 AM
The more asters we have, the further we are from dis-aster.
Listened to #274 of @empirepoduk.bsky.social yesterday, and was reminded of this gem of misprision, from a litany of Drake's barbarities in F. X. von Zach's Correspondance astronomique (1823). To do something "au nez et à la barbe" of someone is to do it boldly, right under their nose.
July 31, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Listened to #274 of @empirepoduk.bsky.social yesterday, and was reminded of this gem of misprision, from a litany of Drake's barbarities in F. X. von Zach's Correspondance astronomique (1823). To do something "au nez et à la barbe" of someone is to do it boldly, right under their nose.
Green frog from today’s walk.
July 27, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Green frog from today’s walk.
Me and my book project
July 19, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Me and my book project
From the verge of the Fitchburg commuter rail.
July 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
From the verge of the Fitchburg commuter rail.
Summer reading begins. This is just a lovely, gutting description of the world (time and space) being slowly drained of personhood, and vv. Dematerialization. Disorientation. Alienation.
June 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Summer reading begins. This is just a lovely, gutting description of the world (time and space) being slowly drained of personhood, and vv. Dematerialization. Disorientation. Alienation.
Catalpa flowers. Remarkable for such a weedy tree.
June 22, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Catalpa flowers. Remarkable for such a weedy tree.
Spring chicken for dinner!
June 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Spring chicken for dinner!
As if there weren’t enough gall in the feeds nowadays, here are two firsts for the season from today’s walk, some witch’s hats (witch-hazel cone gall aphids) and some wool sower gall wasps.
May 30, 2025 at 8:08 PM
As if there weren’t enough gall in the feeds nowadays, here are two firsts for the season from today’s walk, some witch’s hats (witch-hazel cone gall aphids) and some wool sower gall wasps.
Inordinately, irrationally pleased with this purchase from a Dayton bookstore, PJF Turpin’s essay of a philosophical iconography of plants, with this synoptic plate, illustrating the morphological unity of Nature, dedicated to his patron Humboldt.
May 28, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Inordinately, irrationally pleased with this purchase from a Dayton bookstore, PJF Turpin’s essay of a philosophical iconography of plants, with this synoptic plate, illustrating the morphological unity of Nature, dedicated to his patron Humboldt.
For folks in the Boston area eager to hear a Renaissance choir imitating cuckoos, cannons, cymbals, crowds, and campaniles--clango, "I ring" is a real (though apparently very rare) classical Latin verb--Convivium has some upcoming concerts:
May 10, 2025 at 12:46 PM
For folks in the Boston area eager to hear a Renaissance choir imitating cuckoos, cannons, cymbals, crowds, and campaniles--clango, "I ring" is a real (though apparently very rare) classical Latin verb--Convivium has some upcoming concerts:
Alexander von Humboldt died #OTD in 1859. "Der Fürst der Wissenschaft, der erhabene Herrscher von Gottes Gnaden im Reiche der Geister ist nicht mehr." api.digitale-sammlungen.de/iiif/image/v...
May 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Alexander von Humboldt died #OTD in 1859. "Der Fürst der Wissenschaft, der erhabene Herrscher von Gottes Gnaden im Reiche der Geister ist nicht mehr." api.digitale-sammlungen.de/iiif/image/v...
"We know of no two travellers, ancient or modern, who have traversed so many leagues of foolscap, as Doctor Clarke and the Baron de Humboldt." Clever diss of Alexander von Humboldt, who died #OTD in 1859 at the age of 89, who spent far more of his life writing than travelling.
May 7, 2025 at 1:32 AM
"We know of no two travellers, ancient or modern, who have traversed so many leagues of foolscap, as Doctor Clarke and the Baron de Humboldt." Clever diss of Alexander von Humboldt, who died #OTD in 1859 at the age of 89, who spent far more of his life writing than travelling.
Today’s word is myrmecochore—a plant that relies on ants for seed dispersal—like the wood anemones now making their brief appearance across the street.
May 2, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Today’s word is myrmecochore—a plant that relies on ants for seed dispersal—like the wood anemones now making their brief appearance across the street.
Adding to the fugitive works of the day.
April 23, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Adding to the fugitive works of the day.
Just a reminder that calls to “show your reasoning” are at least as much about what constitutes reason is, as about truth. It’s a confidence game.
April 11, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Just a reminder that calls to “show your reasoning” are at least as much about what constitutes reason is, as about truth. It’s a confidence game.
A favorite from today in Boston
April 5, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A favorite from today in Boston
Gee, I wonder where all that uncollected revenue will go.
March 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Gee, I wonder where all that uncollected revenue will go.
Hi. I’m not sure they are claiming to be current or former NPS employees. I began following them when they first appeared in November 2017 on the other place, when Trump suspended the real NPS account. And I haven’t seen these cryptic posts in my feed.
March 1, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Hi. I’m not sure they are claiming to be current or former NPS employees. I began following them when they first appeared in November 2017 on the other place, when Trump suspended the real NPS account. And I haven’t seen these cryptic posts in my feed.
What's good about this one is that MAGA will read it as a new name for Mar-a-Lago
February 19, 2025 at 3:57 PM
What's good about this one is that MAGA will read it as a new name for Mar-a-Lago
February 15, 2025 at 8:44 PM