This innovative software works going on the internet to gather the opinions of a certain character, Wikipedia entries relating to him, and even books written about him. It works a bit like the Google search engine. It is no coincidence behind the initiative is an engineer of the American giant, Charles Ward, who has worked with Steven Skiena, Stony Brook University. Ward has also created an algorithm by which we can determine whether a figure will be remembered over 200 years after the death or whether it will be condemned to oblivion. This becomes crucial when you go to compile a ranking chief, the one on the busy place in history.
After Jesus, Mohammed, and Napoleon, in the ‘top 50′ published by the Sunday Times following William Shakespeare Abraham Lincoln , George Washington , Adolf Hitler , Aristotle , Alexander the Great and Thomas Jefferson . The first Italian you meet is Christopher Columbus , at the 20th place. In another ranking is measured only current fame, which, as you know, takes very little. If in fact Britney Spears occupies the 27th place, when applying the algorithm of its importance in history, his name collapses to 689esimo place. Among the musicians triumphs Mozart at the 24th place, while among the rock-pop star is the master Elvis Presley at the 69th.
The software was however, criticized by historians. “The idea that an algorithm can provide a scientific approach to history is quite absurd,” said Antony Beevor. According to the well-known British historian, the characters can not be studied only by computer calculations, there are too many ‘unknowns’ open. 
No comments:
Post a Comment