>> WELCOME I'M JEFF RESNIK AT
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR
TODAY'S NATIONAL LIBRARY OF
MEDICINE HISTORY TALK.
IT PROMOTES AWARENESS AND USE OF
NLM AND RELATED HISTORICAL
COLLECTION FOR RESEARCH,
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE IN
BIO MEDICINE AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND HUMANITIES.
HISTORY TALKS SUPPORT THE
COMMITMENT OF THE NLM TO
RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY OF THE
COLLECTIONS SPANNING 11
CENTURIES ENCOMPASSING A RANGE
OF FORMAT AND ORIGINATE FROM
EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE AND
FOREGROUND THE VOICES OF PEOPLE
OF COLOR, WOMEN AND MANY
BACKGROUNDS WHO VALUE THE
COLLECTIONS AND USE THEM TO
ADVANCE THEIR RESEARCH, TEACHING
AND LEARNING.
WELCOME, EVERYONE.
FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO SHARE
QUESTIONS WITH OUR SPEAKER THIS
AFTERNOON, PLEASE LOOK FOR AND
USE THE LIVE FEEDBACK BUTTON YOU
SEE UNDERNEATH THE VIDEO STREAM.
TODAY, I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE
AND PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING
DR. RAY GILLIBRAND AS THE
LECTURER OF INCLUSIVE LEARN AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS IN THE
U.K.
PREVIOUSLY, SHE SPENT TWO YEARS
TEACHING HISTORY AND HERITAGE
STUDIES IN WALES DURING WHICH
TIME SHE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY
EMPLOYED AS A FELLOW FOR
DISABILITY STUDIES AT THE
MEDICAL HERITAGE LIBRARY.
AS SHE EXPLAINS ON HER WEBSITE,
QUOTE, AS A WOMAN FROM A WORKING
CLASS BACKGROUND AND THE FIRST
IN MY FAMILY TO ATTEND
UNIVERSITY, I'M DEEPLY COMMITTED
TO EXTENDING AND IMPROVING
INCLUSIVITY PRACTICE AND HOW TO
IMPROVE ACADEMIA FOR THOSE WITH
VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS.
FASCINATED WITH THE HISTORY OF
THE BODY, SHE PURSUED HISTORY
AND COMPLETED HER B.A. IN
HISTORY AND M.A. IN MEDIEVAL
STUDIES AND THROUGHOUT HER
DOCTORAL RESEARCH INVESTIGATED
THE PRACTICAL WAYS IN WHICH
DISABILITY AIDS WERE DESIGN,
CONSTRUCT AND SOLD WHILE ALSO
CONSIDERING HOW CONTEMPORARIES
CONCEPTUALIZE BODY AUGMENTATION
AND THEMES OF DEVICES.
THIS INFORMS HER CURRENT
RESEARCH AND RELATED OPEN ACCESS
INCLUDING AN ARTICLE IN THE
QUARTERLY PUBLICATION IN THE
ASSOCIATION FOR LIBRARIANS AND
INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND A TALK IN
THE MEDICAL HERITAGE LIBRARY
SPEAKER SERIES AS WELL AS
CURATED PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS
ALSO FOR THE MEDICAL HERITAGE
LIBRARY.
NOTA
NOTABLY, NLM WAS A FOUNDING
MEMBER ALONG WITH OTHER ESTEEMED
LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
SHE JOINS US TO DRAW ON THE
RESEARCH OUTPUTS IN HER
PRESENTATION ENTITLED VISIONARY
TECHNOLOGY, EXPLORING EYE
GLASSES AN IMPAIRMENT IN THE NLM
COLLECTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR JOIN US FROM LEEDS
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR
TALK.
>> THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WARM
INTRODUC
INTRODUCTION, JEFF AND HAVING ME
SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE.
FOR THE NEXT 40 MINUTES OR SO I
WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
MY RESEARCH INTO THE PREMODERN
HISTORY OF EYE GLASSES I'LL
REFER TO AS EYE GLASSES OR
GLASSES OR SPECTACLES
TRANSFERABLY THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION.
SO THE INVENTION OF SPECTACLES
PRESENTS A MOMENT IN THE HISTORY
OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
THEY MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO
THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH VISUAL
IMPAIRMENTS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO WERE SCHOLARS, SCRIBES AND
ENGAGED IN PROFESSIONS WITH
CLOSE WORK AND WERE MORE THAN
TOOLS FOR IMPROVING VISION.
THEY TOOK ON SYMBOLIC MEANINGS
IN ART AND LITERATURE
REPRESENTING WISDOM AND
LEARNEDNESS AND CONVERSELY
FOOLISHNESS AND INAPPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR.
THE TALK I'LL GIVE WILL TALK NOT
JUST ABOUT THE EARLY HISTORY OF
SPECK T SPECTACLES AND HOW THEY
ACT AS A METAPHOR IN IMAGERY AND
ARTWORK.
LET'S START WITH THE ORIGIN OF
SPECTACLES.
SO, FIRST DOCUMENTED REFERENCE
CAN BE TRACED TO A SERMON BY A
DOMINI
DOMINICAN FRIAR IN FLORENCE AND
STATED IT'S NOT YET 20 YEARS
SINCE THE MAKING OF ART GLASSES
MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST STARTS
AND NECESSARY THE WORLD HAS BUT
THE NEW ARTS NEVER BEFORE WAS
DISCOVERED.
END QUOTE AND MENTIONED
SPECTACLES HAD BEEN INVENTED
WITHIN THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO
OF THE SERMON.
THAT PLACE THE ORIGIN AROUND
LATE 1280s.
MUCH LIKE THE GLASSES WE'RE FAM
THERE ARE WITH TODAY MEDIEVAL
SPECTACLES WERE MADE OF TWO
SPHERICAL LENSES.
THEY WERE HELD TOGETHER BY A
RIVET ACTING AT THE HINGE TO
ALLOW THE USER TO FOLD THEM IN
HALF TO STORE THEM NEATLY IN A
CASE LIKELY ON A BELT.
THEY HAVE NO ARMS TO HOLD ON AN
EARS BUT HELD IN FRONT OF THE
EYES WHEN IN USE OR CLIPPED
PRECARIOUSLY ON TO THE NOSE
USING THE HINGE.
THESE GLASSES ARE A SAMPLE FROM
THE ONLY KNOWN SURVIVING CASES
OF MEDIEVAL SPECTACLES THAT HAVE
LENS IN ACT IN THE 1953
ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG IN GERMANY.
THIS EXCAVATION FOUND THREE
COMPLETE PAIRS AND TWO ON THE
POWER POINT THERE AND MULTIPLE
DAMAGED FRAGMENTS.
ALL OF THESE WERE MADE FROM
EITHER LEATHER OR WOOD AND DATED
BETWEEN THE 14th AND 16th
CENTURIES.
THE IMAGES ON THE POWER POINT
SHOW TWO POPULAR KINDS OF RIVET
SPECTACLES.
THE ONES ON THE LEFT ARE
TRADITIONAL RIVET SPECTACLES.
YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE A SLIGHT
OPENING AT THE BOTTOM THROUGH
WHICH THEY CAN BE DRAWN A PART
TO FIT THE LENS AND SEALED WITH
LINEN THREAD AND RIVET AT THE
TOP FOR THE MECHANISM.
ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE THE
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DESIGN, THESE
ARE BOW RIVETED SPECTACLES AND
MORE CURVED AT THE TOP.
THIS SEEMS TO BE TO GIVE THEM
MORE HELP AND ALIGNED TO BE WORN
MORE COMFORTABLY.
SPECTACLES WERE ONLY CAPABLE OF
CORRECTING LONG SIGHTEDNESS AND
MOST PEOPLE IT'S A CONSEQUENCE
OF AGING OR WORK-RELATED EYE
STRAIN.
AND THE RESULT OF THE CONDITION
IS PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO SEE OBJECTS NEARBY OR █OUT O
FOCUS BUT CAN SEE OBJECTS IN THE
DISTANCE MORE CLEARLY.
SOL AFTER HE GAVE HIS PRAISE AND
A CONTEMPORARY WHO WAS LOOK A
DOMINICAN FRIAR USED THE
SPECTACLES TO WORK OUT
CONSTRUCTION AND REVEALED THIS
TO THE PUBLIC SO, IN ACADEMIA
WE'RE ALWAYS PROMOTING OPEN
ACCESS AND HE DID THIS EARLY.
IN THE PIECE IT STATED THAT
QUOTE, FRIAR HE KNEW HOW TO MAKE
IT.
EYE GLASSES AND MADE THEM AND
SHARED THEM WITH A CHEERFUL AND
WILLING HEART, END QUOTE.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH SHARING THE
METHODS BY WHICH FRAMES AND
LENSES COULD BE CONSTRUCTED,
AROUND THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF
THEIR EXISTENCE THEY WERE A
SPECIALIST LUXURY PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT.
BECAUSE OF THIS THE PEOPLE
LIKELY TO BE FOUND WEARING THEM
WERE THOSE SIMULTANEOUSLY
WEALTHY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD THEM AND ENGAGE IN
ACTIVITIES RENDERING THEIR USE
NECESSARY.
THEREFORE IN THE YEARS
IMMEDIATELY THEY SPENT TIME
READING AND WRITING IN DIMLY LIT
ENVIRONMENT.
THE WORK OF MEDIEVAL SCRIBES
LOOKS AMOUNT THE PRACTICAL
IMPACT OF SPECTACLES ON
PREMODERN LIFE.
THEY PLAYED A ROLE IN SOCIETY
COPYING TEXT BY HAND IN
MONASTERIES AND RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTIONS.
THE WORK WAS DEMANDING WITH LONG
HOURS OF WRITING IN DIM LIGHTING
AND AN EXAMPLE OF THIS PHYSICAL
TOLL EXPERIENCED BY MEDIEVAL
SCRIBES CAN BE FOUND IN A COPY
WHERE A CLERIC WHO WORKED ON THE
MANUSCRIPT INCLUDED AN
ANNOTATION OUTSIDE THE TEXT IN
WHICH HE ELEMENTS ON THE
HARDSHIP OF THIS SCRIBAL WORK
AND SAID, QUOTE, HOW HEAVY THE
WRITING, IT ARCHES THE BACK AND
MAKES THE EYES FOGGY AND BREAKS
THE STOMACH AND RIBS.
AND THERE'S THE WORK BETWEEN THE
SCRIBE AND THE PHYSICAL WORK IT
CAUSES HIM AND IT AFFECTS HIS
BODY AND EYES.
HIS WORK CAUSES HIM SIGNIFICANT
JOINT PAIN AND EYE STRAIN AND
REQUESTS ALL WHO READ HIS WORK
PRAY FOR HIM SPECIFICALLY.
AND HIS INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN
BRIEF HAVING ADEQUATE TIME TO
REST WOULD HAVE HAD TIME TO
ALLEVIATE SYMPTOMS.
AS A CLERIC, HE'S PROBABLY
ENGAGED IN MANUSCRIPT PRODUCTION
ON A REGULAR BASIS BY PUTTING
HIS BODY UNDER THIS STRAIN HIS
SYMPTOMS COULD HAVE BEEN MORE
CHRONIC IN NATURE.
THE PHYSICAL CHALLENGES WERE
EXACERBATED BY THE POOR LIGHT
CONDITIONS IN WHICH SCRIBES
WORKED.
IN 1939 THERE WAS A SUGGESTION
THAT ORDINARILY LIGHT WAS NOT
ADEQUATE AND THE DANGERS OF
CASUALTIES TO THE COST OF BOOKS,
END QUOTE AND SAID SCRIBES WERE
ONLY PERMITTED TO WORK DURING
DAYLIGHT HOURS.
THIS HOWEVER, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
TRUE WHEN WE INVESTIGATE INTO
SOME OF THESE SCRIBAL REMARKS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THESE
NOTATION COMPLAIN ABOUT WRITING
AT NIGHT OR DIM LIGHT SUGGESTING
THE RULE WAS NOT FOLLOWED IN
PRACTICE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN A 9th CENTURY
COMMENTARY A SCRIBE INCLUDED AN
ANNOTATION COMPLAINING THE LIGHT
OF THE CANDLE IS NOT BRIGHT.
CONTINUING TO WORK BY CANDLE
LIGHT WAS WORSE FOR THE OCULAR
LIGHT OF SCRIBES AND FOCUSSING
ON SMALL DETAILED WORK FOR
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN LOW
OR FLICKERING LIGHT, WOULD
LIKELY HAVE LED TO EYE STRAIN,
BLURRED VISION AND ULTIMATELY
PRESBYOPIA.
BASED ON THE READING AND WRITING
IN LOW LIGHT MOST ACCOUNTS OF
SPECTACLE USE IN THE EARLY DAYS
RELATED TO FRIARS AND SCHOLARS
AS THESE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE
PEOPLE MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE
EARLY ON PRESBYOPIA AND PURCHASE
SPECTACLES TO CONTINUE THEIR
WORK DESPITE THEIR DECLINING
VISION.
AS A RESULT OF THAT SPECTACLES
CAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ART
AND SCHOLARS AND SPECTACLES WERE
EMPLOYED BY ARTISTS TO SHOW A
STATUS.
A
AND THIS DEFINITION PRESENTED A
CHALLENGE TO MEDIEVAL IMAGE
MAKERS ASKED TO REPRESENT
CHARACTER, STATUS OR LIFE
EXPERIENCES THROUGH PORTRAITURE
ALONE.
THE PEOPLE DEPICTED IN THE
IMAGES WERE BUILT INTO OBJECTS,
HAIRSTYLES, TYPES OF CLOTHING
AND CERTAIN COLORS TO
DEMONSTRATE THE ATTRIBUTES OF A
PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL.
A COMMON AND WELL KNOWN EXAMPLE
CAN BE SEEN IN THE INCLUSION OF
A GOLDEN HALO IN THE SHAPE OF A
RING OR DISK OR SUN BURST TO
INDICATE THEY ARE OF HOLY OR
SACRED STATUS IN CHRISTIAN
ICONOGRAPHY AND SPECTACLES CAME
TO OPERATE IN MUCH THE SAME WAY.
IT DIDN'T MATTER A PERSON USED
THEM DURING THEIR LIFE TIME,
INSTEAD INCLUDED AS A VISUAL
METAPHOR PEOPLE VIEWING AN IMAGE
WERE ABLE TO INTERPRET AND COULD
BE USED TO IMPOSE A STABLE
INTERPRETATION OF AN OTHERWISE
MUTABLE BODY.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE
NUREMBERG CHRONICLE PRODUCED IN
1493 AND THE NLM HOLDS A COPY IN
THEIR COLLECTIONS.
IN THE TEXT, WE FIND AN
ILLUSTRATION OF THE PERSIAN
PHYSICIAN PHILOSOPHER WEARING
SPECTACLES OR HOLDING SPECTACLES
BEFORE HIS FACE.
HE WAS KNOWN MORE HIS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO A WIDE RANGE OF
MEDICAL FIELDS INCLUDING THE
TREATMENT OF DISEASES AND STUDY
OF AFL FLNATOMY AND HIS WORK WA
FOUNDATIONAL AND WROTE
COMPREHENSIVE TEXT WHICH BROUGHT
TOGETHER THE MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE
OF HIS TIME AND INSIGHT TO
INFLUENCE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF
MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.
HOWEVER, HE LIVED APPROXIMATELY
BETWEEN 1865 AND 1925 BCE ALMOST
400 YEARS BEFORE THE INVENTION
OF SPECTACLES.
YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN THEM OR
USED THEM AS IMPLIED BUT THAT'S
NOT THE POINT.
THE IMAGE WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE
HISTORICALLY ACCURATE BUT TO
STATE HIS STATUS AND TELLS THE
FIELD HE BELONGED TO THE GROUP
OF ACADEMICS AND SCHOLARS WOULD
HAVE BELONGED TO AND WOULD HAVE
WORN SPECTACLES IN THE EARLY
DAYS OF THE INVENTION.
AS SUCH THE GLASSES ARE NOT TO
BE TAKEN LITERALLY BUT A
SIGNIFIER AND RESPECTED AS AN
ACADEMIC AND GLASSES BEING
ASSOCIATED WITH WISDOM HAS BEEN
TRANSFERRED TO A MODERN DAY
TROPE AND CHARACTERS SUCH AS
VELMA AND LEONARD AND CLARK KENT
KNOWN FOR THEIR ACADEMIC SKILLS
OR PROWESS AND.
THE GLASSES EMPHASIZE SCIENTIFIC
INTELLIGENCE AND CLARK KENT
SEPARATING HIS MILD MANNERED
PERSONA TO THE SUPER HERO AND
THERE'S A LINK BETWEEN VISUAL
IMPAIRMENT AND INTELLECTUAL
INSIGHT.
AS WE MOVE TO THE MODERN PERIOD
GLASSES BECAME MORE MAINSTREAM
AVAILABLE TO A BROADER RANGE OF
PEOPLE.
AND THEY BEGAN TO ATTRACT THE
ATTENTION OF MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS.
EARLY MEDICAL TEXT REVEALS AN
AMBIVALENCE TO THE USE OF
GLASSES THERE WAS A CONCERN
THEIR USE COULD LEAD TO A
DETERIORATION OF NATURAL VISION.
THE FIRST APPEARS HERE.
HE LIVED BEFORE AND SERVED AS A
PHYSICIAN AND IS BEST KNOWN FOR
HIS COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TEXT
AND AGAIN THIS IS SOMETHING THE
NLM HOLDS A COPY OF AND HIS
COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF MEDICAL
PRACTICES FROM THINGS LIKE WOUND
TREATMENT TO SURGICAL
INSTRUMENTS AND BLENDED
CLASSICAL KNOWLEDGE WITH HIS OWN
CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS.
HIS WRITINGS REMAIN KEY FOR
CENTURIES TO COME AND EMPHASIS
OF EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION AND FOR
THIS TALK I'M INTERESTED IN
THOUGHTS AROUND GLASSES.
THEY ADVISE THE USE OF
SPECTACLES AND SHOULD ONLY TURN
TO THEM IF ALL ATTEMPTS TO
IMPROVE ONE'S VISION HAVE FAILED
STATING QUOTE, THESE THINGS BY
WHICH HE MEANS MEDICAL
TREATMENTS AND SURGERIES ARE OF
NO AVAIL AND RECOURSE MUST BE
GIVEN TO THE GLASS OR BERYL
SPO
SPECTACLES.
IT WAS A NATURAL MINERAL A MORE
OPAQUE WITH A GREENISH TINT AND
IT WAS A GREEN HUE MAKING IT A
DESIRABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR GLASS.
IN HIS HISTORY OF THE WORLD HE
EXPANDED THE BENEFITS OF LOOKING
UPON BERYL TO SOOTH EYES AND IT
CONTINUES TO HOLD CURRENCY TO
THE MODERN PERIODS AND AFFECTED
THE READING AND WRITING CULTURES
OF THE TIME.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN SPAIN HAD A
TREATY CALLED THE OCULUS.
AND EXPLAINED GREEN IS
BENEFICIAL AND EMERALDS CAN HELP
EYES AND WHEN DESIGNING A
HOSPITAL, ROOMS IN WHICH THERE'S
PATIENTS OUGHT TO BE PAINTED
GREEN AND BEDS OUT TO BE GREEN
AND PLEASANT TO THE SITE.
IF LOOKING AT GREEN CAN HELP
IMPROVE ONE'S WELL BEING AND
COMBAT EYE STRAIN OTHER EFFORTS
WOULD HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.
NOT ONLY DID THEY HELP
INDIVIDUALS OVERCOME THE
DEGENERATION OF THEIR VISION BUT
ALSO PROVIDED THIS COMMON HUE
WHERE READING OR WRITING COULD
BE VIEWED AND PREVENTING OCULAR
IRRITATION THE ACTIVITIES MIGHT
CAUSE XP -- HOWEVER, THIS WAS
ACROSS THE MIDDLE PERIOD AND
INTO THE 16 CENTURY.
THERE WAS THE FIRST KNOWN TREATY
DEDICATED TO THE ON OPHTHALMIC
HEALTH AND IT INCLUDES 92
ILLUSTRATIONS DEMONSTRATING AND
INSTRUMENTS.
AND THERE'S A COPY FROM 1583
FROM WHICH THE IMAGE ON THE
SLIDE IS DRAWN.
HOWEVER, WHILE BARTISCH ADVOCATE
WILL HE WAS AGAINST THE USE OF
SPECTACLES STATING QUOTE IT'S
BETTER AND BENEFICIAL ONE NOT
REQUIRE SPECTACLES IT'S BETTER
FOR A PERSON TO PRESERVE TWO
EYES THAN FOUR AND SOME PEOPLE
SAY THEY ARE SEE BETTER THROUGH
SPECTACLES AND EYE GLASSES
SHOULD CONSIDER THIS A HABIT AND
AFFLICTION OR DEFICIENCY OF THE
EYES, END QUOTE.
HIS CRITIQUE SHOWS A GENTLEMAN
WEARING A PAIR OF SPECTACLES TO
READ ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF
HIM IS AN ALTERNATIVE SPECTACLE
DESIGN REFERRED TO AS GOGGLES WE
MIGHT RECOGNIZE TODAY.
THE GLASS IN THE GOGGLES WAS NOT
SHAPED AS CAREFULLY AND THEY
SERVED MORE PROTECTIVE FUNCTION
THAN TO AID LONG SIGHTEDNESS.
HOWEVER, DESPITE DISCOURAGING
THE USE SALES INCREASED.
AND IN A BOOK THERE'S THE EXPORT
OF 24,000 SPECTACLES FROM VENICE
TO TURKEY AND THE SPECTACLES
WOULD GO ON TO BE SOLD BY A
RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS FROM
MERCHANTS AND MARKET STORE
HOLDERS TO TRAVELLING PEDDLERS
AND THE NLM RETAIN THE IMAGE
AROUND 1600 COMMENTING ON THE
USE AND SALES.
THE SHOP ON THE LEFT SIDE SALES
PRE MADE LENSES AS WELL AS CASES
TO PROTECT THEM AND AS WE LOOK
AROUND WE START TO REALIZE
ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE IS ALSO
WEARING GLASSES INCLUDING A
SCHOLAR IN A DOCTORAL CAP AND
BOOK SELLER KEEPING ACCOUNTS, A
SEAMSTRESS SEWING AND COBBLER
AND APPRENTICE.
THE ONLY ADULT NOT WEARING
GLASSES OR NOT USING SOME KIND
OF OPTICAL AID IS THE BLIND MAN
WITH THE DOG AND SAYS GLASSES
REMOVES THE MORE OBSCURE
DARKNESS FROM THE EYES.
WHAT I FIND INTERESTING ABOUT
THE IMAGE IS IT COULD BE READ IN
ONE OF TWO WAYS.
ON ONE HAND AS SPOKEN ABOUT IN
SCHOLARSHIP COULD BE SAID TO BE
PROMOTING THE SALES OF
SPECTACLES AS SOMETHING USEFUL
TO ALL PROFESSIONS.
EVERYBODY HAS A PAIR AND THE
TEXT SEEMS TO IMPLY THE GLASSES
ARE DOING THEIR JOB IN REMOVING
THE OBSCURE OF DARKNESS.
HOWEVER, IT COULD ALSO BE READ
AS SATIRE.
THE PERSON WHO ISN'T WEARING
SPECTACLES IS THE PERSON SELLING
THEM AND PROMOTING THEM WHICH
SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS
CONFIDENCE IN HIS GOODS AND THE
FACT THAT THE TEXT SUGGESTS THEY
ARE REMOVING THE MORE OBSCURE
DARKNESS FROM THE EYES COULD BE
MORE TONGUE AND CHEEK PULLING
THE METAPHORIC WOOL OVER THE
EYES.
AND IT WASN'T SEEN AS IMMORE OR
DECEITFUL.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN AN
ENGRAVING FROM AROUND 1570
ENTITLED THE FESTIVAL OF FOOLS.
THE FOOLS IN THE ENGRAVING CAN
BE SEEN ENGAGING IN TYPICALLY
FOOLISH BEHAVIORS, DANCING A
CIRCLE, PLAYING LOUD MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS, PUBLICALLY
URINATING INTO A BOWL AND
WEARING AND SELLING SPECTACLES.
WHAT MAKES THE IMAGE ESPECIALLY
INTERESTING IS THE CONNECTION
WITH THE POEM WRITTEN IN THE
LOWER BORDER OUTLINING ALL KINDS
OF FOOLS AND THE ACTIVITIES
THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN.
AND THE THIRD STANZA STATES IN
TRANSLATION, THEY WASTE ALL
THEIR SUBSTANCE.
SOME SELL TRUMPETS AND OTHERS
SELL SPECTACLES WITH WHICH THEY
DECEIVE MANY NIMWITS AND THE
PO
FOOL FOUND IN THE LOWER RIGHT
HAND CORNER OF THE IMAGE AND YOU
CAN SEE MORE CLEARLY ON THE
RIGHT SIDE OF THE POWER POINT IS
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FOOLS IN
THE POEM WHO SELL SPECTACLES
WITH WHICH THEY DECEIVE MANY
KN
NITWITS AND THEY ALLOW
THEMSELVES TO BE DECEIVED.
AND THE REASON THEY WERE
CONSIDERED FOOLS IS FROM THE 14
CENTURY THERE WAS THE THOUGHT
SPENT SPECTACLES CHANGE THE WAY
PEOPLE SEE THE WORLD AND PREVENT
PEOPLE FROM VIEWING AN OBJECTIVE
TRUTH.
AS THE CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN
PHYSICIST SUGGESTS THE GAIN OF
VISION IS TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
EYE GLASSES MAKE FIGURES SEEM
BIGGER OR SMALLER, NEARER,
FURTHER, INVERTED AND DECEIVE
AND NOT TO BE USED FOR SERIOUS
PURPOSE.
IT'S POSSIBLE IF SPECTACLES WERE
MADE OF GLASS FROM A LOWER
OPTICAL QUALITY OR THE CURVE WAS
INCORRECT THE COULD DISTORT THE
WORLD IN THE WAY SUGGESTED.
WORKING WITH SPECTACLES REQUIRES
NO USE OF DIFFERENT GLASS AND WE
HAVE BERYL OF A LOWER OPTICAL
QUALITY AND GLASS AND HIGHER
QUALITY AND HAS TO BE SHAPED TO
FUNCTION WITHOUT DISTORTION.
IT COULD TAKE TIME TO BECOME
ACCUSTOMED WHERE THEY COULD
EXPERIENCE A WARPED VISION AND
DISTORTING ONE'S VISION WAS
BASED ON PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE OF
USING POORLY MADE SPECTACLES OR
NOT TAKING TIME FOR THEIR EYES
TO ADAPT TO SPECTACLE USE AND
THERE US A FEAR WEARING THEM
COULD WORSEN ONE'S VISION.
THIS IS DIFFICULT TO DISPROVE
BECAUSE IN MANY CASES EYE
CONDITIONS LIKE PRESBYOPIA ARE
DEGENERATIVE AND WORSEN WHETHER
OR NOT A PERSON WEARS SPECTACLES
BUT IT'S USUALLY THEY WEAR THEM
THEY EXPERIENCE A DECLINE IN
VISION SO IT'S POSSIBLE TO SEE
HOW SPECTACLE USE COULD BE
CONFLATED WITH THE NATURAL
DEGENERATION OF VISION.
DESPITE THE REASONS OR THE
VALIDITY BEHIND CLAIMS
SPECTACLES COULD HARM VISION THE
IDEA PERSISTED THROUGH MIDDLE
AGES.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WHILE
SPECTACLES WERE USED AS A
METAPHOR FOR LEARNEDNESS IN THE
EARLY MODERN PERIOD THEY BECAME
A SIGNIFIER OF FOOLISHNESS.
THIS DUAL MEANING CAN MAKE IT
HARD FOR MODERN SCHOLARS TO
DETERMINE IF THE INCLUSION OF
SPECTACLES IS USED AS A PRAISE
OR TECHNIQUE AND IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THE INTENDED
MESSAGE IN THE IMAGE.
AROUND THE 14th CENTURY ONWARDS
THEY BEGAN TO BE PRESENTED AS
FOOLS INTELLECTUALLY MORALLY
DEFICIENT AND PRESENT AN
INACCURATE VIEW OF THE WORLDING
THE THEY WERE EASILY DECEIVED OR
LACKING IN COMMON SENSE AND THE
SHIP OF FOOLS IS A POEM FIRST
PUBLISHED IN SWITZERLAND IN
1494.
THE POEM ILLUSTRATED BY A SERIES
OF COPIES OF WHICH WHERE THEY'RE
HELD IN THE NLM COLLECTION.
THE FIRST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ON
THE SLIDE THE FOOL INDICATED BY
HIS CAP DECORATED BY BELLS AND
DONKEY SHAPED EARS AND PEERS
INTO THE BOOKS THROUGH RIVETED
SPECTACLES AND THE FOOL SAYS,
QUOTE, ALTHOUGH MY LATIN ISN'T
FINE, I KNOW VINUM STANDS FOR
WINE AND GUCKLUS A CUCKOLD FOR
STULTUS FOOL AND I AM A DOCTOR
THAT'S MY RULE SUGGESTING TRUE
FOOLISHNESS STEMS NOT FROM
READING BUT READING AND FOCUSES
ON THE WRONG KINDS OF THINGS.
IT'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT THIS IS
THE FIRST FOOL TO APPEAR IN
BRUNT'S POEM.
HE USES IT TO CRITIQUE THOSE
LOOKING UP INAPPROPRIATE THINGS
IN BOOKS AND THE CONTEXT IS THE
FOOL READING ABOUT FOOLS IN A
BOOK AND CAST THE READER AS THE
ROLE OF THE FOOL THEMSELVES.
THE FOOLS ARE NOT THE ONLY
INDIVIDUALS FOR WHOM SPECTACLES
ARE USED AS A VISUAL SIGNIFIER
OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
THEY'RE ALSO USED TO MOCK
RELIGIOUS INDIVIDUALS FOR
PARTICIPATING OR LOOKING UP
THINGS NOT SUITABLE TO THEIR
POSITION.
THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR AND
OCULAR IMPAIRMENT DEMONSTRATE
THE DISTANCE FROM GOD.
AN EXAMPLE CAN BE SEEN IN A
MANUSCRIPT LOCATED IN A LATE
14th CENTURY COPY OF A MORALITY
TEXT WRITTEN EARLY 14th CENTURY.
WE SEE AN IMAGE OF A SPECTACLED
MONK PLAYING DICE AND THE
OPPONENT IS INTENDED TO
REPRESENT A LOWER STATUS OR
UNSAVORY CHARACTER.
HIS HOSE ARE FALLING DOWN AND
DEPICTED WITH WILD RED HAIR AND
BEARD.
AND THEY'RE FREQUENTLY USED IN
IMAGERY TO REPRESENT JUDAS AND
TOLD CLERICS TO STAY AWAY FROM
DICE AND MALICIOUS WOMEN.
THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT BY GAMBLING
WITH THIS ROGUISH OPPONENT
THEY'RE FOCUSSING THEIR
ATTENTION ON THE WRONG KIND OF
ACTIVITY.
IF THE MANUSCRIPT WAS ORIGINALLY
WRITTEN BY THE DOMINICAN FRIAR
IT MAKES SENSE THE INCLUSION OF
SPECTACLES INDICATING HE SHOULD
BE APPLYING HIMSELF TO HOLY
SCRIPTURE RATHER THAN A GAME OF
DICE.
ANOTHER AND FINAL EXAMPLE CAN BE
FOUND IN 14th CENTURY FRENCH
SULTA AND IT SHOWED FOUR MONKS
READING FROM A PRAYER BOOK IN.
THE THREE MONKS IN FRONT LOOKING
AT THE TEXT UP FRONT OF THEM
WITH SCOWLS OF CONCENTRATION AND
THE MONK AT THE BACK OF THE
GROUP IS STARING AWAY FROM THE
PRAYER BOOK.
IT'S USED TO CRITIQUE
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR AND
UNLIKE HIS PIOUS BROTHERS
ENGAGED IN READING THE HOLY TEXT
THIS SHOWS HIS EYES WONDERED
AWAY FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT'S USED TO DEMONSTRATE THE
SHOULD BE APPLYING HIMSELF TO
THE HOLY TEXT THAN IDLE DAY
DREAMING AND ACTED TO THE
WARNING OF THE READER TO FOCUS
ON THE MARGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS
AND SATHE SPECTACLES DRAWING
ATTENTION TO MISPLACED
ATTENTION.
THE HISTORY OF SPECTACLES IN THE
PREMODERN PEOPLE DUEL FUNCTION
IS PRACTICAL TOOLS AND POWERFUL
SYMBOLS AND WAS A LUXURY ITEM
THEY SOON BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH
WISDOM AND LEARNING HOWEVER, AS
THE USE BECAME MORE WIDE SPREAD
THEY ARE ATTRACTED SKEPTICISM
ACCELERATING DETERIORATION OF
NATURAL EYESIGHT AND THEY WERE
OFTEN USED TO SYMBOLIZE
FOOLISHNESS.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECTACLES
HIGHLIGHT THE BROAD ATTENTION
BETWEEN THE BENEFITS OF
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND THE
ANXIETIES THEY PROVOKE.
SPECTACLES BECAME MORE
ACCESSIBLE AND RESHAPED NOT ONLY
HOW PEOPLE SAW THE WORLD BUT HOW
THEY WERE SEEN BY OTHERS.
THE COMPLEX LEGACY CONTINUES TO
INFLUENCE THE WAYS WE THINK OF
VISION, KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY
TODAY.
THANK YOU.
>> DR. GILLIBRAND, FANTASTIC
TALK.
EXCELLENT RESEARCH AND WONDERFUL
VISUALS, EXCUSE THE PUN.
I DID NOT KNOW VELMA'S LAST NAME
SO I LEARNED SOMETHING BESIDES
ALL OF YOUR FANTASTIC RESEARCH.
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS A WONDERFUL
TALK.
I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTION FOR YOU
AND WE HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS
FOR DR. GILLIBRAND SO FOR THOSE
WATCHING, PLEASE USE THE LIVE
FEEDBACK BUTTON UNDER THE NIH
VIDEOCAST STREAM TO SEND YOUR
QUESTION.
THOSE QUESTIONS WILL COME TO ME
AND I'LL TRIAGE THEM ON MY
SCREEN AND ASKED THEM TO OUR
SPEAKER.
DR. GILLIBRAND, THANK YOU AGAIN.
LET'S START WITH THE QUESTION,
SPECTACLES WERE SEEN AS SYMBOLS
OF BOTH WISDOM AND FOOLISHNESS.
WAS THIS DUALITY PRESENT IN
OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGIES AT THE TIMES?
>>
>> THE ANSWER IS INTERESTING AND
YES AND NO.
WE SAW TECHNOLOGY CARRYING
DIFFERENT CONNOTATIONS WHEN USED
BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THINGS
LIKE VISUAL CULTURE AS WELL AS
IN LIFE.
ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE CAN BE SEEN
IN REPRESENTATIONS OF PEOPLE
USING EARLY WHEELCHAIRS.
THEY DIDN'T EXIST IN THE MIDDLE
AGE.
THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND
LANDSCAPE DIDN'T FUNCTION FOR
THOSE WHO LARGE WHEELS ON THE
SIDE OF A CHAIR INSTEAD AN
ADAPTIVE WHEELBARROW AND WHEN
LOOKING AT THE ADAPTIVE
WHEELBARROWS WE SEE IT'S MORE
ACCEPTABLE FOR WOMEN TO TRAVEL
IN THESE DEVICES THAN MEN.
IT SPEAKS TO GENDER AND
DISABILITY.
WOMEN HAVE SHARPENED MINDS BUT
MORE DELICATE BODIES AND IT WAS
MORE APPROPRIATE BUT WOULD HAVE
BEEN EMASCULATING FOR MEN TO
TRAVEL THAT WAY DEMONSTRATING A
FRAGILITY ASSOCIATED WITH
FEMININE BEHAVIOR AND WE SEE
DICHOTOMY IN REPRESENTATIONS OF
THE OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY.
>> THANK YOU.
SO, THIS IS A QUESTION PARTLY
ABOUT SPECTACLES AS MATERIAL
CULTURE.
WITH YOU SEE SPECTACLES FROM THE
MEDIEVAL PERIOD, CAN YOU SPEAK
MORE BROADLY WITH THE NUMBER AND
KINDS OF SPECTACLES THAT
SURVIVED AND AVAILABLE FOR
STUDY?
HAS ANYONE EVER UNDERTAKEN AN
INVENTORY OF THE SURVIVING
OBJECTS?
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S A
FORMAL INVENTORY.
HOPEFULLY WHEN MY BOOK COMES OUT
IN A COUPLE YEARS AND THERE'S A
CHAPTER ON SPECTACLES TO FILL
THE GAP A LITTLE BIT, THERE'S
VERY FEW SURVIVING EXAMPLES.
THERE'S THE AN EXAMPLE OF A
NUNNERY AND THERE'S ANOTHER SOTE
FROM AN EXCAVATION FROM LONDON.
BECAUSE THEY'RE MADE AND
SURVIVED THE PRESENT DAY.
THEY DISINTEGRATE AND DECOMPOSE
AND THEY'RE FRAGILE AND BREAK
AND THE NUMBER OF SURVIVING
EXAMPLES IS LIMITED WHICH IS WHY
VISUAL CULTURE IS SO USEFUL WE
HAVE ARTISTIC REPRESENTATIONS OF
SPECTACLES AND THE PAUCITY OF
MATERIAL EVIDENCE.
>> NOTED.
THANK YOU.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR
BOOK.
SEVERAL HAVE WRITTEN IN THEY ARE
APPRECIATED YOUR TALK CALLING IT
FASCINATING AND ENLIGHTENING.
ANOTHER QUESTION, I'M WONDERING
IF YOU KNOW THE USE OF HANDHELD
LENSES WHAT WE CALL MAGNIFYING
GLASSES.
I BELIEVE THEY WERE USED BY THE
PAINTERS OF TRANSCRIPTS HAVE YOU
SEEN THESE OBJECTS BEING USED
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> YES, THERE'S LOADS OF THEM
OUT THERE.
THERE'S VARIOUS OPTICAL DEVICES
AT THIS TIME.
THERE'S ALSO LOST LOBES OF WATER
TO ACT AS A MAGNIFYING GLASS AND
PRE-GLASSES PERIOD OF OCULAR
AIDS.
IN FACT THERE'S A CHAPTER WHERE
THEY HOLD EYE GLASSES RATHER
THAN SPECTACLES.
LOTS OF IMAGES OF MAGNIFYING
GLASSES BEING USED.
>> THANK YOU.
ANOTHER QUESTION, DO WE HAVE ANY
EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTS THE
BELIEF OF DEGRADATION OF SIGHT
AND THE USE OF SPECTACLES MAY BE
CAUSED OR WORSENS BY EXCESSIVE
READING?
>> I THINK -- I MEAN, NOT FROM
THE MIDDLE AGES, I'VE NOT SEEN
ANY WRITING ABOUT EXCESSIVE
READING CAUSING THE DEGRADATION
OF SITE FROM THE MEDIEVAL
PERSPECTIVE.
BUT THE MODERN RESEARCH IN
DEGRADATION OF SITE CONFIRMS
EXCESSIVE READING IN POOR
LIGHTING CONDITIONS OR READING
ON THE SCREEN IN THE DARK, THAT
KIND OF THING OR READING WITHOUT
WEARING NECESSARY SPECTACLES TO
MAKE IT EASY ON YOUR EYES CAN
QUICKEN THE PACE OF OCULAR
DEGENERATION.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT WRITTEN
ABOUT MEDICALLY, MANY PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS IN THE
SENSE THE EARLY DAYS OF
SPECTACLE USE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PREDOMINATELY DEPICTED WEARING
THEM ARE LEARNED FIGURES.
SO, I JUST FINISHED WRITING AN
ARTICLE WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY BE
OUT SOON LOOKING AT IMAGES OF
EVANGELIST WEARING SPECTACLES
WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE OF
THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH WRITING
THE GOSPELS AND UNDERTAKING THAT
BIG WRITING TASK THOUGH THEY
LIVED LONG BEFORE THE INVENTION
OF SPECTACLES.
I THINK THERE WAS AN AWARENESS
OF THIS.
BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT IN
MEDICAL TEXT.
>> THANK YOU.
NOT A QUESTION BUT A LOVELY
COMMENT THAT'S COME IN, THANK
YOU FOR SUCH AN INCREDIBLE TALK.
THIS PERSON WRITES IT'S HELPFUL
TO ME WORKING IN COMPUTATION TO
BE REMINDED HOW COMPLICATED AND
NUANCED OUR RELATIONSHIP TO
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN
ESPECIALLY TOWARDS SEEING A
RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY NOW
WITH MORE COMPASSION FOR OUR
DIFFICULTY SORTING OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANOTHER PERSON WRITES IN,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN IS CREDITED
WITH INVENTING BIFOCALS.
MANY TECHNOLOGIES APPEAR
SIMULTANEOUSLY IN DIFFERENT
PLACES.
WAS FRANKLIN REALLY THE FIRST
WITH BIFOCALS OR DID THEY
DEVELOP INDEPENDENTLY IN OTHER
PLACES AS WELL?
>> I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
I DON'T KNOW.
BENJAMIN FRANKLY IS A LITTLE
AFTER MY TIME AS AN AREA OF
RESEARCH.
I'LL HAVE TO DIG INTO THAT ONE.
I CAN'T HELP YOU THERE.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
ARE SPECTACLES USED DIFFERENTLY
IN DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS CONTEXT.
FOR EXAMPLE, CHRISTIAN VERSUS
JEWISH AND IF YOU COME ACROSS
AND A LOT OF IMAGES ARE PRODUCED
BY CREATORS AND MENASTIC
SCRIBES.
AND THERE WERE SCRIPTS BUT LIKE
I SAID I'VE NOT LOOKED INTO THAT
ITCH A HUGE A OF DETAIL AND
WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE A BROAD
OBSERVATION BUT I HAVE SPENT
TIME LOOKING AT SAINTS WEARING
SPECTACLES IN THE CHRISTIAN
TRADITION.
YOU SEE IT OFTEN.
AND WITH IMAGES AND FOCUS ON
READING OR WRITING OF RELIGIOUS
TEXT OR TREATIES.
YOU HAVE THE EVANGELISTS AND
THERE'S INTERESTING CASE AS
MATTHEW MARK AND LUKE FREQUENTLY
APPEAR WEARING SPECTACLES AND
JOHN DOESN'T AND THERE'S NOT
TIME TO DISCUSS THIS NOW BUT I
THINK THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE
HE'S ALSO PRESENTED AS THE MORE
YOUTHFUL MEMBER OF THE
EVANGELISTS.
YOU HAVE TWO VISUAL SIGNIFIERS
AT CONFLICT WITH ONE ANOTHER.
ONE IS HIS YOUTH AND ONE IS THE
IDEA IF YOU SPEND A LONG TIME
READING AND WRITING HOLY TEXTUAL
BE AT AN AGE WHERE YOUR EYES ARE
DEGENERATING AND NEED
SPECTACLES.
THEY'RE AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER.
WE DON'T SEE JOHN WEARING
SPECTACLES BUT SEE THE OTHER
THREE.
LATER OTHERS ARE REPRESENTED
WEARING SPECTACLES OR HAVING
THEM IN THEIR VICINITY.
YOU MAY SEE SPECTACLES ON THE
DESK AS IF THEY'VE JUST BEEN
TAKEN OFF OR USED.
>> THIS PROMPTS ME TO ASK A
FOLLOW ON QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
WHAT ABOUT WOMEN WEARING
SPECTACLES AND YOU MENTIONED ONE
WOMAN BUT I DON'T RECALL HER
WEARING SPECTACLES BUT YOU DID
REFERENCE HER.
WHAT ABOUT HER CONTEMPORARIES IN
THAT PERIOD OR OTHERS?
>> I THINK THIS IS WHERE IT GETS
A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
WE HAVE THOSE SPECTACLES FROM
THE NUNNERY AND WE KNOW THEY
WERE ALL FOUND IN THE GAPS
BETWEEN THE SEATS IN THE CHOIR
WHERE THE NUNS WOULD HAVE SAT.
WE CAN ASSUME THOSE BELONGED TO
THE NUNS AND THAT'S INTERESTING
TO ME BECAUSE IT IMPLIES THAT
THE GLASSES WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY
IMPORTANT FOR THE NUNS TO CARRY
THEM ON THEIR PERSON AND WOULD
NOT HAVE NEEDED THEM IN THE
CHOIR BUT ONE LARGE BOOK TO
SPEAK OR SING FROM IN FRONT OF
THEM ALL FINE FOR LONG DISTANCE.
YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY NEED
THEM.
IT'S INTERESTING THEY STILL
CARRY THEM ON THEIR PERSON BUT
ALSO WEREN'T PULLING A PART TO
DIG THEM OUT WHEN THEY FELL
BETWEEN THE SEAT.
THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE
WORTH OF GLASSES.
SO THERE'S EVIDENCE OF WOMEN
WEARING THEM THERE.
AND THEN REALLY THE PROBLEM
COMES DOWN TO THINKING ABOUT
FEMALE LITERACY IN THE MIDDLE
AGES.
WOMEN WEREN'T WORKING AS SCRIBES
OR ACADEMICS OR PRODUCING TEXT.
THEY DIDN'T REALLY FIT IN THE
EARLY CATEGORY OF USES BUT AS
THEY BECOME MORE MAINSTREAM, WE
SEE IMAGES OF WOMEN WHO ARE
SEAMSTRESSES, ARE MAKING USE OF
THOSE.
YEAH, LOOKING AT WOMEN'S WORK
AND LITERACY AS WELL.
>> WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE
QUESTION.
HOW DOES THE HISTORICAL
SKEPTICISM TOWARDS SPECTACLES
RESONATE WITH CURRENT CONCERNS
ABOUT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES
AFFECTING HUMAN PERSPECTIVE.
>> I THINK --
>> BIG QUESTION.
>> IT'S NICE TO BRING IT BACK TO
THE PRESENT DAY AS WELL WHEN WE
STUDY HISTORY IT FEELS LIKE A
LONG WAY AND NICE TO THINK ABOUT
PRESENT DAY IMPLICATIONS AND THE
LONG STANDING CONCERN ABOUT HOW
NEW FORMS OF REPRESENTATION CAN
DISTORT REALITY AND MANIPULATE
MISCONCEPTION STRONGLY RESONATE
WITH CURRENT ANXIETY LIKE A.I.
GENERATED IMAGES AND POTENTIAL
IMPACT ON HUMAN PERCEPTION.
SO USE OF SPECTACLES WERE
CRITIQUES IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD
FOR POTENTIALLY DECEIVING
AUDIENCES, NEW TECHNOLOGIES
THINGS TODAY LIKE A.I. GENERATED
IMAGES CHALLENGE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF AUTHENTICITY.
WE HAVE NEW ADVANCEMENTS IN DEEP
FAKE TECHNOLOGY AND IT CAN BLUR
THE LINE BETWEEN REAL IMAGERY
AND FABRICATED IMAGERY PROMOTING
SKEPTICISM IN THE POPULAR MIND
SET ABOUT THE VALIDITY AND
VERACITY OF VISUAL INFORMATION.
THIS FEAR ABOUT A.I. AND
MANIPULATING CONCEPTION ALIGNS
WITH THE EARLY FEARS AROUND
SPECTACLES AS SOMETHING THAT
SPREAD MISINFORMATION AND HAVE
THE POTENTIAL FOR VISUAL
MANIPULATION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO
DISSIMILAR THERE.
>> THANK YOU AND A GREAT
QUESTION TO CONCLUDE ON.
ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AT
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF
MEDICINE, WE THANK YOU AND
EVERYONE WATCHING THANKS YOU FOR
A WONDERFUL TALK.
WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR
RESEARCH AND LOOK FORWARD TO
YOUR FUTURE BOOK AND REMAINING
IN TOUCH.
SO, THANK YOU AGAIN,
DR. GILLIBRAND FOR TAKING THE
TIME TO PREPARE THE TALK AND
BEING WITH US THIS AFTERNOON AND
FOR YOU IN THE EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL KEEP IN TOUCH.
TO EVERYONE WATCHING, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
I'D LIKE TO JUST CONCLUDE BY NOT
ONLY THANKING YOU BUT MENTIONING
THAT OUR NEXT HISTORY TALK IS
GOING TO BE ON THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 7 AT 2:00 P.M. EASTERN
TIME WE'RE GOING TO BE WELCOMING
DR. NAMHE LEE.
SHE'LL BE SPEAKING IN THE
PURSUIT OF MENTAL WELL BEING,
ROBERT H. FELIX AND HIS ROLE IN
ESTABLISHING MENTAL HEALTH IN
AMERICA.
JOIN US NOVEMBER 7, 2:00 P.M.
AND IN THE MEANTIME THANK YOU
FOR TUNING IN.
BE IN TOUCH WITH US IF WE CAN BE
A RESOURCE FOR YOU IN YOUR
RESEARCH, TEACHING OR LEARNING
AND WE BID YOU A GREAT AFTERNOON
AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
BYE-BYE.