"The study of decision making… is a palimpsest of intellectual
disciplines." (Source: Buchanan, L., O'Connell, A., (2006). A brief history
of decision making. Harvard Business Review, 84(1).)
Say what? It turns out that for centuries, wise men and women have been
re-using paper, papyrus, or whatever material they had to write on, replacing old
information with new. Webster’s calls these palimpsests ('pa-l&m(p)-"sest), or "writing
material (as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing
has been erased." The word comes from the Greek, meaning "scraped
again."
Omar Khayyam (who clearly did not use palimpsest) wrote this poem.
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.
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