Sciencewomen

Help GrrlScientist find a different blog carnival name than “Scientia”

Posted by Alice on April 1, 2009
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i-f875c0b07d9b3cb6229668554781b35a-alice.jpgUpdate April 7: GrrlScientist has decided to change the name to “Scientia Pro Publica,” science for the people. Thanks to folks who shared ideas with her!!
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GrrlScientist has decided to revive the Tangled Bank carnival under a new name: Scientia. While a very apt name indeed, commenters (not me) have pointed out the similarity with Scientiae, the blog carnival of stories of/by women in STEM. GrrlScientist has said she’d consider changing the name if a better idea came up, but other offerings are rather slim. Any of you out there have any good ideas? Please share here — or, better, offer them in the comments of Grrl’s post.

I really do think it is important for Scientiae to not get swamped by the massive size of the former Tangled Bank carnival reinvented under a very similar name. Please help out if you are clever with words. Or ask others for their ideas. Thanks.

PS: Candid Engineer will be announcing the April carnival any day now. Can’t wait. :-)

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Comments

  1. #1 The Chemist
    April 1, 2009

    Not an April 1st trick I hope? ;)

    Does the name change imply generalizing it a bit to include physical sciences more?

    Regardless, my recommendation is “Infinite Hypotheses“. It acknowledges the number of questions, though I’m sure it will be misinterpreted by some to indicate some vague concept of “acknowledging all theories” on a subject.

  2. #2 Monado
    April 2, 2009

    “Endless forms most beautiful”?

  3. #3 Propter Doc
    April 2, 2009

    What was wrong with Tangled Bank? Its a good name, with a good brand. It needs some new life and energy, but I don’t see how this total reinvention will be better. Just keep the name and put a new blogger behind it.
    Anyway, I think the onus is on Grrrl to rename as Scientiae was here first.

  4. #4 DNLee
    April 2, 2009

    made my recommendations on her page. that’s for sharing.

  5. #5 seeing eye chick
    April 5, 2009

    Scientia–Latin for Knowledge. The only counterpart that I could find to that was Memosyne. The Goddess of Memory–one of the muses is Urania–inspiration for Astronomy. The thing is that when you start looking at feminine symbolism in the sciences in antiquity, that science and the occult/religion entwined. It’s difficult to extricate one from the other because historically, especially in cultures we are familiar with, they were Patriarchal, and somewhat hostile to women outside the home and the birthing bed. When you ad the introduction of the Abrahamic traditions, the women who had strong identities in science were demonized as Witches or Heretics. I can understand the problem of finding a suitable classical reference, without it morphing into associations of non-logic, like religion, occultism and other things that might set set some scientists hair on end. When men invoke the science of Galileo–they think logic assailed by religion, but also travel, exploration, etc., But when one were to invoke Hypatia, her name didnt survive the same way that Galileo’s did. People don’t remember her for her her Hydrometer or astrolabe, but those that do, remember her for being cut to pieces on oyster shells in the streets of Alexandria by angry Christians.
    The problem is finding something–a word or title that is suitable that delivers the correct visual in the correct tone.