Tom Wujec demos the 13th-century astrolabe

譯者: Adrienne Lin 審譯者: Wang-Ju Tsai

As technology progresses,

隨著科技發展

and as it advances,

以及科技進步

many of us assume that these advances

許多人認為這些進展

make us more intelligent,

讓我們更有智慧

make us smarter and more connected to the world.

也讓我們更聰明、更貼近世界。

And what I'd like to argue

而我想要說明

is that that's not necessarily the case,

這不一定是事實

as progress is simply a word for change,

即使進步帶來改變

and with change you gain something,

這些改變使你獲得某些事物

but you also lose something.

但同時你也失去了某些事物

And to really illustrate this point, what I'd like to do

為了闡述這個論點，我要做的

is to show you how technology has dealt with

是向你們介紹，科技如何處理

a very simple, a very common, an everyday question.

一個簡單、平凡、大家每天在問的問題。

And that question is this.

而這問題就是

What time is it? What time is it?

現在幾點？現在是什麼時候？

If you glance at your iPhone, it's so simple to tell the time.

你只要看看iPhone，就能馬上知道時間

But, I'd like to ask you, how would you tell the time

不過我想請問，如果你沒有手機

if you didn't have an iPhone?

又該怎麼知道時間呢？

How would you tell the time, say, 600 years ago?

好比，在600年前，你要怎麼知道時間?

How would you do it?

你會怎麼做？

Well, the way you would do it is by using a device

你要做的是，利用某種儀器

that's called an astrolabe.

那就是星盤。

So, an astrolabe is relatively unknown in today's world.

雖然現代許多人都不知道星盤了

But, at the time, in the 13th century,

不過在13世紀那個時代

it was the gadget of the day.

星盤是確認時間的儀器

It was the world's first popular computer.

可說是最初普及於世的電腦

And it was a device that, in fact, is a model of the sky.

而這個儀器，事實上就是天空的模型。

So, the different parts of the astrolabe, in this particular type,

這一型的星盤上的零件有：

the rete corresponds to the positions of the stars.

以網環(Rete)和天空中群星的位置相對照

The plate corresponds to a coordinate system.

整個盤面(plate)對應出一個天空座標體系

And the mater has some scales and puts it all together.

母盤(mater)上則添加刻度，組合三者即為星盤。

If you were an educated child,

若在13世紀，小時候有受教育

you would know how to not only use the astrolabe,

你不只會學到如何使用星盤

you would also know how to make an astrolabe.

也會學到如何製作星盤。

And we know this because the first treatise on the astrolabe,

我們是從第一篇星盤專論知道這點的

the first technical manual in the English language,

它是第一篇以英語寫成的說明書

was written by Geoffrey Chaucer.

作者是Geoffrey Chaucer

Yes, that Geoffrey Chaucer, in 1391,

沒錯,這是Geoffrey Chaucer在1391年

to his little Lewis, his 11-year-old son.

寫給他11歲的兒子小路易斯的書

And in this book, little Lewis would know the big idea.

小路易斯能從這本書裡學到星盤的知識

And the central idea that makes this computer work

以及推動星盤這部電腦運作的核心原理

is this thing called stereographic projection.

此原理稱為球極平面投影。

And basically, the concept is,

其基本概念在於

how do you represent the three-dimensional image

該如何把立體的、

of the night sky that surrounds us

環繞著我們的夜空

onto a flat, portable, two-dimensional surface.

投射到平坦、可攜式的二維平面上。

The idea is actually relatively simple.

原理其實很簡單

Imagine that that Earth is at the center of the universe,

請想像地球位於宇宙中心

and surrounding it is the sky projected onto a sphere.

將環繞地球球體的天空投射到球面上

Each point on the surface of the sphere

球面上的每一點

is mapped through the bottom pole,

再以極軸為準

onto a flat surface, where it is then recorded.

對應到平面上，並加以記錄。

So the North Star corresponds to the center of the device.

因此北極星就對應到儀器的中心點

The ecliptic, which is the path of the sun, moon, and planets

太陽通過的黃道、月球和其他行星

correspond to an offset circle.

也各自對應到一個圓環上

The bright stars correspond to little daggers on the rete.

網環上尖尖的星標則標誌那些明亮的星星

And the altitude corresponds to the plate system.

高度則可從盤面系統推得。

Now, the real genius of the astrolabe is not just the projection.

不過，星盤的巧妙可不只有投影的應用

The real genius is that it brings together two coordinate systems

它真正的巧妙之處在於將兩個座標系統結合

so they fit perfectly.

完美疊合在一起

There is the position of the sun, moon and planets on the movable rete.

太陽、月亮和行星的位置標在可轉動的網環上

And then there is their location on the sky

所以它們在天空中的位置

as seen from a certain latitude on the back plate. Okay?

能根據不同緯度反應在盤面上，懂嗎？

So how would you use this device?

所以這儀器要怎麼用呢？

Well, let me first back up for a moment.

讓我稍微退回前面

This is an astrolabe. Pretty impressive, isn't it?

這是個星盤，很正點吧？

And so, this astrolabe is on loan from us

這星盤是借來的

from the Oxford School of -- Museum of History.

從牛津大學歷史博物館借來的。

And you can see the different components.

你可以看到這些不同的零件

This is the mater, the scales on the back.

這是母盤，表面有刻度

This is the rete. Okay. Do you see that?

這是網環，看到了嗎？

That's the movable part of the sky.

轉動它能呈現不同時間的天空。

And in the back you can see

而底部你可以看到

a spider web pattern.

蜘蛛網紋般的圖案

And that spider web pattern corresponds to the local coordinates in the sky.

這蜘蛛網紋圖案與天空座標系統對應

This is a rule device. And on the back

用這個來控制，後面呢

are some other devices, measuring tools

則有其他設計，像是測量工具、

and scales, to be able to make some calculations. Okay?

刻度等，用來計算

You know, I've always wanted one of these.

我一直都想要一個星盤

For my thesis I actually built one of these out of paper.

為了論文，我特地看書，做出了一個

And this one, this is a replica

而這個，是個複製品

from a 15th-century device.

複製於15世紀的裝置

And it's worth probably about three MacBook Pros.

價值大約等同三台Macbook Pro電腦。

But a real one would cost about as much as my house,

真的星盤價值比我的整棟房子

and the house next to it, and actually every house on the block,

和隔壁的、再隔壁，整個街區的價值還高

on both sides of the street,

甚至還要加上對街、

maybe a school thrown in, and some -- you know, a church.

和一所學校、幾間教堂

They are just incredibly expensive.

是真的很貴。

But let me show you how to work this device.

我向各位展示星盤怎麼使用。

So let's go to step one.

第一步

First thing that you do is you select a star

要先選一顆星星

in the night sky, if you're telling time at night.

晚上的話就是夜空中選一顆

So, tonight, if it's clear you'll be able to see the summer triangle.

今晚如果晴朗，可以看到夏季大三角(summer triangle)

And there is a bright star called Deneb. So let's select Deneb.

這顆很明亮的叫天鵝座(Deneb)，我們就選它。

Second, is you measure the altitude of Deneb.

第二步，要測量天鵝座的高度

So, step two, I hold the device up,

所以，把星盤拿高

and then I sight its altitude there

目測高度

so I can see it clearly now.

這樣就能清楚看到。

And then I measure its altitude.

然後我測量高度。

So, it's about 26 degrees. You can't see it from over there.

約是26度，你們坐太遠可能看不到

Step three is identify the star on the front of the device.

第三步，從星盤正面找到這顆星

Deneb is there. I can tell.

天鵝座在這，找到了。

Step four is I then move the rete,

第四步，轉動網環

move the sky, so the altitude of the star

就像轉動天空，如此一來

corresponds to the scale on the back.

星星的高度就與背後的刻度對應。

Okay, so when that happens

一旦完成這些步驟

everything lines up.

設定就完成了。

I have here a model of the sky

我手中就握著星空的模型

that corresponds to the real sky. Okay?

與真正的天空完全對應

So, it is, in a sense,

所以，某方面來說

holding a model of the universe in my hands.

我手上握的是宇宙的模型。

And then finally, I take a rule,

最後，用尺規

and move the rule to a date line

移到時間線的地方

which then tells me the time here.

就能指出現在時間。

Right. So, that's how the device is used.

所以，星盤就是這樣用的。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

So, I know what you're thinking:

你們一定在想

"That's a lot of work, isn't it? Isn't it a ton of work to be able to tell the time?"

「這樣太麻煩了，只是想知道時間就得搞這麼久？」

as you glance at your iPod to just check out the time.

因為你們iPod拿起來就知道時間了。

But there is a difference between the two, because with your iPod

但兩者的差別很大：用你的iPod

you can tell -- or your iPhone, you can tell exactly

或是iPhone，你能知道時間

what the time is, with precision.

而且還是很精確的時間。

The way little Lewis would tell the time

小路易斯看時間

is by a picture of the sky.

用的是星空的圖。

He would know where things would fit in the sky.

他會知道星空的樣貌

He would not only know what time it was,

因此除了知道時間以外

he would also know where the sun would rise,

他還能得知太陽從哪邊升起、

and how it would move across the sky.

太陽會如何移動、

He would know what time the sun would rise, and what time it would set.

太陽會幾點升起、幾點落下。

And he would know that for essentially every celestial object

他會知道天空上的

in the heavens.

每個物體。

So, in computer graphics

所以，在電腦繪圖、

and computer user interface design,

或電腦使用者介面領域裏

there is a term called affordances.

有個叫功能可見性的概念。

So, affordances are the qualities of an object

功能可見性是指一個物體

that allow us to perform an action with it.

讓我們能使用的各個特性。

And what the astrolabe does is it allows us,

星盤能讓我們使用的特性

it affords us, to connect to the night sky,

就是與天空的連結

to look up into the night sky and be much more --

當我們抬頭看夜空時

to see the visible and the invisible together.

能看見有形、無形的所有東西。

So, that's just one use. Incredible,

這只是其中一個功能。

there is probably 350, 400 uses.

很難想象，但還有其他350、400個功能。

In fact, there is a text, and that has over a thousand uses

事實上，有文獻指出，

of this first computer.

這第一台電腦(星盤)有超過千種用途

On the back there is scales and measurements

因為它後面有刻度、測量器

for terrestrial navigation.

能用來做地球上的定位。

You can survey with it. The city of Baghdad was surveyed with it.

或作土地丈量，巴格達城就被量過。

It can be used for calculating mathematical equations of all different types.

它可以用來計算各種數學公式

And it would take a full university course to illustrate it.

要示範使用方式，得用上整學期的時間。

Astrolabes have an incredible history.

星盤有個很不可思議的歷史

They are over 2,000 years old.

長達兩千年的歷史。

The concept of stereographic projection

平射投影的概念起源於

originated in 330 B.C.

西元前330年。

And the astrolabes come in many different

當時星盤有各種的

sizes and shapes and forms.

尺寸、形狀、大小

There is portable ones. There is large display ones.

有可攜式的、有展示用的

And I think what is common to all astrolabes

我想所有星盤的共通點是

is that they are beautiful works of art.

他們有如藝術般的美麗

There is a quality of craftsmanship and precision

製作星盤所需的手藝、精確度

that is just astonishing and remarkable.

都令人讚嘆，非常了不起

Astrolabes, like every technology, do evolve over time.

和每個科技一樣，星盤也會演化。

So, the earliest retes, for example, were very simple and primitive.

像是一開始的網環，非常簡陋

And advancing retes became cultural emblems.

後來的網環可說是文化象徵

This is one from Oxford.

這個是牛津的。

And I find this one really extraordinary because the rete pattern

我覺得這個極為特別，因為它的網環圖案

is completely symmetrical,

是完全對稱的

and it accurately maps a completely asymmetrical, or random sky.

但它卻可以對照出完全不相稱的天空

How cool is that? This is just amazing.

超酷的吧？真令人驚艷

So, would little Lewis have an astrolabe?

所以小路易斯能有自己的星盤嗎？

Probably not one made of brass. He would have one made out of wood,

可能不會是銅製的，也許是木製的、

or paper. And the vast majority of this first computer

或紙製的，當時這首部電腦

was a portable device

是可攜式的

that you could keep in the back of your pocket.

可以放進口袋。

So, what does the astrolabe inspire?

星盤能帶給我們什麼啟發？

Well, I think the first thing is that

我想第一就是

it reminds us just how resourceful people were,

它提醒了我們，前人資源有多豐富

our forebears were, years and years ago.

我們的祖先多年前就設計出來了

It's just an incredible device.

驚人的設計。

Every technology advances.

凡是科技都會進步

Every technology is transformed and moved by others.

科技都是相互影響、轉變的

And what we gain with a new technology, of course,

現今科技為我們帶來的

is precision and accuracy.

當然就是精準度。

But what we lose, I think, is

但我們因此失去的，我想就是

an accurate -- a felt sense

對於天空的認識

of the sky, a sense of context.

這些背後正確的知識。

Knowing the sky, knowing your relationship with the sky,

認識天空，認識我們與天空的關連

is the center of the real answer

才是「現在幾點？」這問題

to knowing what time it is.

真正的答案。

So, it's -- I think astrolabes are just remarkable devices.

所以，我認為星盤真的是非凡的設計。

And so, what can you learn from these devices?

那麼，我們能從學到什麼呢？

Well, primarily that there is a subtle knowledge

最基本的，就是能認識我們與世界接軌的

that we can connect with the world.

微妙關係。

And astrolabes return us to this subtle sense

星盤帶我們了解到最初那種

of how things all fit together,

天地事物如何連繫的微妙含義

and also how we connect to the world.

以及我們與世界相連的感覺。

Thanks very much.

謝謝各位

(Applause)

(掌聲)