Wikipedia

Sub specie aeternitatis

Joined 2 December 2011


About Me edit

I'm an anthropologist specializing in archaeology at Mount Allison University. My students edit and create Wikipedia pages as part of their course work.

Why the Latin User Name? edit

As an archaeologist, I'm very interested all things related to the passage of time and the importance of temporal perspectives. My username was inspired by Philip K. Dick's novel Galactic Pot-Healer, in which the main character is an archaeologist and in which Dick writes about an "SSA Machine"[1]. SSA is an abbreviation of sub specie aeternitatis and Dick described the phrase as "something seen outside of time"[2]. The phrase has a variety of meanings[3]. In general, it emphasizes the importance of temporal perspectives; therefore, as an archaeologist, I'm drawn to this idea. Dick's SSA Machine collected vast amounts of data by scanning human brains and extrapolated future conditions of interpersonal relationships[4]. The idea of collecting vast amounts of data from humans struck me as related to Wikipedia.

References edit

  1. ^ Dick, Philip (1994 [1969]). Galactic Pot-Healer. Vintage Books. p. 63. ISBN 0-679-75297-8. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  2. ^ Dick, Philip (1994 [1969]). Galactic Pot-Healer. Vintage Books. p. 63. ISBN 0-679-75297-8. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  3. ^ "Sub specie aeternitatis". Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  4. ^ Dick, Philip (1994 [1969]). Galactic Pot-Healer. Vintage Books. p. 63. ISBN 0-679-75297-8. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
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