Pope Sylvester II and the Medieval Roots of AI
An article by Alessandro Zaccuri and Anita Romanello on Doppiozero explores the historical figure of Gerbert of Aurillac, known as Pope Sylvester II, and his relevance to contemporary discussions on artificial intelligence. Sylvester II, a mathematician and astronomer, wrote the 'Libellus de numerorum divisione', a manual for using the abacus. The article draws parallels between medieval computational methods and modern AI, challenging the black legend of the pope as a sorcerer.
Key facts
- Gerbert of Aurillac was Pope Sylvester II.
- He was a mathematician and astronomer.
- He wrote the Libellus de numerorum divisione.
- The work is a manual for using the abacus.
- The article connects medieval computation to AI.
- Sylvester II was falsely accused of sorcery.
- The term astrologia meant astronomy in his time.
- The article appears on Doppiozero.
Entities
Artists
- Gerbert of Aurillac
- Pope Sylvester II
Institutions
- Doppiozero