Finding The Authors Of The Bible

Artificial Intelligence Is Helping Us Find The Authors Of The Bible

Dan Seitz | April 11, 2016

Both the most controversial and best-selling book ever written, the Bible is an unusual book not least because, for the most part, we’ve got no idea who wrote it. Which makes it easy to pull find-replace jobs and make unfortunate typos. The Old Testament, in particular, is more or less anonymous. But less and less so, thanks to artificial intelligence.
We might never be able to pin the Bible down to a specific author, but we can get closer by understanding who had the capability to write and their literary complexity. Furthermore, being able to pin down the historical era the early books of the Bible were written would offer both insight into the history of the time and the ability to contrast it with other texts. To this point it’s largely been held that only a handful of people would be able to write in the first place, but new research has blown that open. How? By studying what amounts to ancient Post-Its.

Shards with early writing. "On April 11, researchers at Tel Aviv University published a new paper that suggests some parts of the Bible may have been written years before people originally thought. While many experts believe key biblical texts were written in the 7th century BC, according to this new study, they could actually have been written earlier, around 600 BC. The Tel Aviv University researchers came to this conclusion after studying the literacy rates in the ancient kingdom of Judah. The literacy rates were essential to the first compilation of biblical works because many scribes would have had to have been involved in the endeavor. "There’s a heated discussion regarding the timing of the composition of a critical mass of biblical texts," Professor Israel Finkelstein, one of the study's lead authors, told The Jerusalem Post. "But to answer this, one must ask a broader question: What were the literacy rates in Judah at the end of the First Temple period?" he explained. "And what were the literacy rates later on, under Persian rule?" " Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/bible-may-be-older-we-thought

<more at http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/authors-of-the-bible/; related articles and links: http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/find-shows-widespread-literacy-2-600-years-ago-in-judah/?WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20160413 (+Podcast) (Find Shows Widespread Literacy 2,600 Years Ago in Judah. April, 12, 2016) and http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/38246/20160414/new-evidence-suggests-bible-written-earlier-previously-thought.htm (New Evidence Suggests Bible Was Written Earlier Than Previously Thought. April 14, 2016)>