
Precision and accuracy in medieval astronomy
What is the difference between precision and accuracy? In modern English they are used almost interchangeably. But there is a difference, of course. I wonder what time it is now, when you are reading this. Is it about eleven o’ clock? Or is it 09:34? Of course, I have no way of knowing which of those guesses is more accurate. But the second is obviously more precise. That distinction may be more or less clear to us. But that wasn’t always the case for medieval astronom