Post #3555357

Ireland's oldest pub, established in 1198, is called The Brazen Head. And I just learned it's named after a very early dream of AI. In stories going back to the Middle Ages, a "brazen head" was a brass head that could correctly answer any question put to it - or maybe just yes/no questions. Often the ownership of this head was attributed to a famous scholar like Roger Bacon, or Albertus Magnus, or Robert Grosseteste. Apparently these early proto-scientsts seemed like wizards, and spawned legends! The first known story along these lines appears in William of Malmesbury's "History of the English Kings" in 1215. He said Pope Sylvester II traveled to Andalusia and stole a tome of secret knowledge, whose owner he was only able to escape through demonic assistance. He then cast the head of a statue that could answer any yes/no question put to it. I love it! The idea of "traveling to Andalusia and stealing a tome of secret knowledge" sounds like a wonderful distorted pop version of how the West regained some knowledge of Greek science from texts in Muslim-controlled Spain. Oh, and by the way: the founding of The Brazen Head in 1198 may also be a myth. The pub markets 1198 as its founding, but Wikipedia says the current building was built as a coaching inn in 1754. It may also not be the oldest pub in Ireland. Sean's Bar in Athlone claims to date back to 900. But that story too gets shakier the more you look at it. People in pubs like to tell stories. Thanks to @muddle@infosec.exchange and @weekend_editor@mathstodon.xyz for pointing me down this rabbit hole after I shared a picture of Roger Bacon Lane in Oxford! https://brazenhead.com/