Why is it precisely Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) who matters so much for interpreting the etymology of algorithm? Because he is the only medieval contemporary witness who left reliable statements about the term and its possible origin. He knew exactly what he was writing about.
The new Dictionary of the Spanish Language was released today: the Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE, version 23.8.1). The publisher is the Real Academia Española (RAE). What is special about this edition is not only the new words that have been added. It is
The Santa Claus circular argument is an analogy from the analysis “The Odyssey from Algorizimi to Algorithmus.” It describes how a circular argument can be used to “prove” the real existence of Santa Claus. At the same time, the circular argument makes it possible to
The odyssey from Algorizmi to algorithm reveals: citogenesis is not an original phenomenon of the internet and AI age. It has existed for more than 150 years. But what exactly lies behind the term? An overview with further references. Citation loop of misinformation The term citogenesis, borrowed
Yuval Noah Harari describes “algorithm” as one of the central concepts of our time. In the age of AI, algorithms determine information flows, visibility, and evaluation - and thus power. At the same time, the term itself has become the subject of intensive research: countless
In lexicons, encyclopedias, and specialist literature, the explanation still dominates that the word algorithm arose from the Latinization of the name al-Ḫwārizmī. He was an outstanding scholar of the 8th/9th centuries and a pioneer of algebra. This narrative feels so self-contained that it appears as
Thesis A examines whether the RAE’s (Real Academia Española) alternative derivation can be reconstructed - linguistically, culturally, and phonetically - so that it can serve as a serious explanation for the origin of algorismus/algorithmus. Download the study Accordingly, the focus below is not on a personal name,
Thesis B tests whether the RAE idea from Thesis A can be found in medieval usage - i.e., whether algorismus/algorithmus in European primary sources is understood functionally (as a calculating art/method), and not as the personal name of al-Ḫwārizmī. The benchmark is simple: what do the
Thesis C examines when the now-dominant al-Ḫwārizmī narrative emerged. What is established is that it was first formulated in the 19th century as a mere conjecture. From the very beginning, its content was back-projected. This aligns with the results of Theses A and B (a
At the end of the analysis, an overall conclusion is drawn: all three theses—(A the al-ġubār word root, B functional medieval usage, C 19th-century back-projection)—are each plausible, well supported, and coherent (a “green light” for each). Thesis C is especially strongly evidenced: the eponym narrative
Yuval Noah Harari describes “algorithm” as one of the central concepts of our time. In
In lexicons, encyclopedias, and specialist literature, the explanation still dominates that the word algorithm arose
Thesis A examines whether the RAE’s (Real Academia Española) alternative derivation can be reconstructed -
Thesis B tests whether the RAE idea from Thesis A can be found in medieval
Thesis C examines when the now-dominant al-Ḫwārizmī narrative emerged. What is established is that it
At the end of the analysis, an overall conclusion is drawn: all three theses—(A the