Essay argues that learning Babylonian mathematics builds valuable research taste in history

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A Substack essay on Resobscura examines the case for studying Babylonian mathematics as a way to develop research judgment in the history of science. The author argues that engaging with an unfamiliar ancient numerical system sharpens a historian's sense of which questions are worth pursuing. The piece frames this skill, often called research taste, as something cultivated through close engagement with primary sources rather than through general reading alone. The article was shared on Hacker News, where it had attracted a small amount of attention at the time of posting. The full text of the essay was not included in the source material available for this summary.

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