There was a time when the theory of Atlantis was considered real, it was a time of achievement and optimism. Kings and scholars read “Atlantis; the Antediluvian World” with a captivation seldom seen even today outside of Harry Potter phenomenon. However, before we sound too cruel to ‘Atlantis’, allow me to present the last paragraph of the book to help you better understand their enthusiasm:
“We are but beginning to understand the past: one hundred years ago the world knew nothing of Pompeii or Herculaneum; nothing of the lingual tie that binds together the Indo-European nations; nothing of the significance of the vast volumes of inscriptions upon the tombs and temples of Egypt; nothing of the meaning of the arrow-headed inscriptions of Babylon; nothing of the marvelous civilizations revealed in the remains of Yucatan, Mexico and Peru. We are on the threshold. Scientific investigations is making great strides. Who shall say that in one hundred years from now the great museums of the world may not be adorned with gems, statues, arms, and the implements of Atlantis, while the libraries of the world shall contain translations of its inscriptions, throwing new light upon all the past history of the human race, and all the great problems which now perplex the thinkers of our day?”
Ignatius Donnelly (1882)
Here is a fairly good , but brief, synopsis of Donnelly’s book.
Interestingly enough, some recent theories postulate a rather sudden flood of the Mediterranean which may be associated with the legend. In any event, it is from our discarded theories that we learn something of value…. if not be entertained. This reminds me that it is not the theories that we embrace that cause us to falter, but our unwillingness to give them up that continues to haunt us.
“It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.” — Konrad Lorenz
We can look all around us today and see ‘scientific theories’ in the free marketplace of ideas; they should be allowed to be debated and not censored, for only in this way can we eventually discover the truth.
Roger Freberg