Once in a while (and at least twice recently) someone asks questions about, say, “alternate” scientific claims (flat Earth and sight explained by rays from the eyes). This questions are generally closed as off-topic for this site, and I can see why. However, I believe they might be relevant to th...
It really blows my mind how non-skeptical otherwise reasonable people are over the golden ratio. This image is put forth as supporting the theory, but contains SQUARES and other integer ratios. i.stack.imgur.com/QpVKh.jpg — basically, it is supporting anti-evidence, but commonly put forth as evidence even though a simple ruler clearly says otherwise.
The same with upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/… — this says "Divine proportion", but clearly shows some other system of ratios. Probably meant to be integer ratios — since it's from that section of the book! — although it's not perfect from this image.
Basically, put an image with a rectangle — any damn rectangle, apparently! — superimposed on it, and people buy it as a golden rectangle if you say so.
@mattdm it seems to me that the question is whether the golden ratio was used or not. We have writings where the architects themselves admit it. I am not sure what kind of proof you would accept for ancient greece since we don't know much at all about the parthenon (which leaves us with low quality evidence).
of course the golden ratio is not magical in the least, but this doesn't prevent people from thinking it is and using it
right: but besides reading what they wrote, we can basically only measure what they built, which is poor proof for all the reasons that mattdm specified. However, OPs shouldn't disallow evidence, especially on historical questions where the evidence is usually scarce and not of "scientific" quality.
compare with "jesus is considered a historical figure" because he's mentioned in the gospels (which are not contemporary and of course biased) and the hearsay of two historians (also not contemporary).
yes, there's a consensus that someone named jesus started christianity and was crucified (IIRC who he was, where he was from, what he said and did are much more controversial)
With respect to written historical references to Christ, here are some examples:
The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus wrote in his Antiquities of the Jews, written around 93–94 AD:
Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of w...
The two answers to the shoe lacing question are getting upvotes and one will get a bounty despite neither addressing the claim that the particular lacing pattern in the question is effective at preventing the condition of a black toenail
They both just talk about other things
Like lacing for extensor tendonitis and the fit of the shoe possibly being a factor
I flagged it, but a mod said that they examined the answers and found no evidence that they didn't answer the question.
That is perplexing to me, because I don't see how they answer the question. Could whatever mod that found no evidence that they didn't answer the question explain?
Because if they answer the question, that is great :)
With respect to written historical references to Christ, here are some examples:
The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus wrote in his Antiquities of the Jews, written around 93–94 AD:
Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of w...
