Quote:
Originally Posted by Gillianren
Quite true. For example, while I'm fond of Mozart, I certainly wouldn't consider him the greatest innovator in music. Jacopo Peri, whom few people could identify, is arguably a greater one; ditto Johann Stamitz and Giuseppe Torelli. While it's true that Shakespeare's exact birthdate is unknown, it is highly likely to be 23 April, 1564. Cervantes was born on 29 September, 1547. Drake, okay, no one knows. But his sponsor, Elizabeth I--arguably one of the greatest innovators of her era--was born on 7 September, 1533. Any one of those has had greater historical impact, in my opinion, than Bob Dylan. True, they've had 400 years to prove it, and he hasn't, but I think in 400 more, Cervantes and Elizabeth I will be seen as more innovative still.
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The challenge is to obtain data which will be scientifically interesting. 'Innovation' is a slippery concept, as your comments on Mozart and Dylan show. A test could be constructed, as I suggested above with inventors.
The scientist data I used was not enough to demonstrate significance, but the fact that the Mars/Saturn linkage was the biggest statistical anomaly among the list of 500 eminent scientists, appearing at a rate seen in 1 in 65 random samples, is suggestive, and could be compared to other large groups. Aspects of Mars are thought to indicate ability for self-expression through dynamic action, while aspects of Saturn are claimed to show capacity for self-discipline and structure in life. A Mars-Saturn link therefore suggests structured action, of the sort applied in science. This prima-facie link would need to be tested to see if the Mars-Saturn link appeared more frequently than chance in other groups of scientists.
Re your mention of innovation in music, I have developed a scientific model for the music of the spheres. For any given time period, for example the 1960s, the list of planetary positions I described previously can be converted to a logarithmic scale with 1 Aries representing A 220 hertz and 30 Pisces A 440 hertz. By applying a different tone to each planet, the result is music similar to Penderecki or Messiaen, with planetary conjunctions sounding as unisons, sextiles as major seconds, squares as minor thirds, trines as major thirds, and oppositions as tritones. I can send the midi frequency spreadsheet to anyone interested to help implement this.