"We may say most aptly that the Analytical Engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the Jacquard-loom weaves flowers and leaves."
(Notes on the Analytical Engine invented by Charles Babbage)
Happy Birthday Ada Lovelace!
She was an English mathematician and writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She was the first to recognise that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation.
@markwyner @anna_lillith
This reminds me of the etymology of the German word "Bahn", which translates to the English "track". It probably derived from the Indoeuropean root "*bhen-", which means "to hit" or "to wound/injure". There are related words in other Germanic languages:
Gothic "Banja" (deadly blow, wound, ulcer)
Old Norse "ben" (wound)
Old English "benn" (wound)
Old High German "bano" (manslayer, murderer)
Middle High German "ban(e)" (death, perdition)
And even in Avestan (Proto-Persian) the word "banta-" means "sick".
My point is, that in ancient times, roads and pathways through nature were considered wounds and injuries, struck by humans. And if we step back a little and think about it - that's what they are. I am not advocating for the removal of all roads, but we might want to ask ourselves if more roads are really a necessity in our picture of the future, and if we even want to build back some of them as traffic gets transformed into something more sustainable.
Project Gutenberg
