Post by gansansk on Oct 20, 2017 21:29:55 GMT
To James Hannam and all
I have been trying to find out if there really is a connection between Duns Scotus and the dunce-cap, or if the latter has medieval origins at all.
James, I saw you wrote about the mockery towards Scotus in the 16th century, which the basis of the word "dunce". Have you ever seen a cap involved in these puns, or in Scotus' writings, or in medieval philosophy and magic?
Dan
For more background and clarity, and images, here is what I recently posted in Facebook:
www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=479501355769667&id=100011294192326
I want to settle the question of Dunce-caps.
The internet has a recurring tale: Duns Scotus wrote that a funnel like cap will help the flow of knowledge into the head, so he and his followers wore such things, and so developed the "Dunce" cap (This school later got a bad reputation, so wearing it became a humiliation).
Atlas Obscura, Slate.com too: [1] Straightdope.com : [2] .
* But, did Scotus write any such thing? I can’t even think how to search that.
* Is there an image of him with a D-cap? From the prints at the British Museum and National Portrait Gallery, [3],[4], and panels, murals and illuminations(!), in this blog [5] and in my album [6], it seems everywhere he has a plain headcover or none. So, no.
* If not him, have any scotists, Dunsemen or Dunces wore them? I couldn't find any models.
* Maybe he referred to the wizard's hat as we know it from the movies (or a predecessor). Here comes my real question: Does the pointy hat appear in the middle ages in the context of wizards, alchemists or any kind of scholar? In illuminations or texts, to any significant degree?
* If the hat didn't come from Duns , then whence? the Inquisitorial Sanbenito? A jester's garment? French revolutionaries?
Some Maybes below.
Haecceitily,
Dan
====
[1] www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-dunce-cap-wasnt-always-so-stupid
[2] www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1793/whats-the-origin-of-the-dunce-cap
[3] www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?people=27387&peoA=27387-1-6
[4] www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp53392/john-duns-scotus
[5] onceiwasacleverboy.blogspot.com/2015/11/bl-john-duns-scotus.html
[6] www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011294192326&sk=photos&collection_token=100011294192326%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.478594185860384.1073741827.100011294192326&type=1&l=ce7794324e
I have been trying to find out if there really is a connection between Duns Scotus and the dunce-cap, or if the latter has medieval origins at all.
James, I saw you wrote about the mockery towards Scotus in the 16th century, which the basis of the word "dunce". Have you ever seen a cap involved in these puns, or in Scotus' writings, or in medieval philosophy and magic?
Dan
For more background and clarity, and images, here is what I recently posted in Facebook:
www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=479501355769667&id=100011294192326
I want to settle the question of Dunce-caps.
The internet has a recurring tale: Duns Scotus wrote that a funnel like cap will help the flow of knowledge into the head, so he and his followers wore such things, and so developed the "Dunce" cap (This school later got a bad reputation, so wearing it became a humiliation).
Atlas Obscura, Slate.com too: [1] Straightdope.com : [2] .
* But, did Scotus write any such thing? I can’t even think how to search that.
* Is there an image of him with a D-cap? From the prints at the British Museum and National Portrait Gallery, [3],[4], and panels, murals and illuminations(!), in this blog [5] and in my album [6], it seems everywhere he has a plain headcover or none. So, no.
* If not him, have any scotists, Dunsemen or Dunces wore them? I couldn't find any models.
* Maybe he referred to the wizard's hat as we know it from the movies (or a predecessor). Here comes my real question: Does the pointy hat appear in the middle ages in the context of wizards, alchemists or any kind of scholar? In illuminations or texts, to any significant degree?
* If the hat didn't come from Duns , then whence? the Inquisitorial Sanbenito? A jester's garment? French revolutionaries?
Some Maybes below.
Haecceitily,
Dan
====
[1] www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-dunce-cap-wasnt-always-so-stupid
[2] www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1793/whats-the-origin-of-the-dunce-cap
[3] www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?people=27387&peoA=27387-1-6
[4] www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp53392/john-duns-scotus
[5] onceiwasacleverboy.blogspot.com/2015/11/bl-john-duns-scotus.html
[6] www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011294192326&sk=photos&collection_token=100011294192326%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.478594185860384.1073741827.100011294192326&type=1&l=ce7794324e