einhverfr said:
First Quote
For example. If we use the Celtic Cross spread, and the card representing the past is the 10 of Cups, and the card representing the ultimate outcome is the 10 of swords, my reader will take a more pessimistic approach to reading the other cards (the actual process is more complex than that). The sysem works well enough that I don't use reversed cards (largely invented by Waite anyway).
einhverfr said:
Second Quote
Note that at least in my proof of concept, that that if you put the 10 of swords in the place representing the past and the 10 of cups in the place representing the future, the preading is quite optimistic.
Actually, you gave the opposite example first. 10 of Cups in the Past, 10 of Swords in the future. Now we have two examples, positive to negative, and negative to positive by your standards. I do not agree with that
See back to my older post about Negative/Positive Shades in all the Cards.
I know that you are giving simplistic examples for the sake of discussion =)
I also know that it's hard to determine if a Card is seen in a more negative or a more positive shade. As said before, this depends on many things, it's hard to code that in. It doesn't only depend on surrounding Cards! (Although coding in the elemental dignitaries system would be easy)
Also, Questions are relevant to Card Meanings.
Example:
"How will my job interview go Tomorrow?"
Cards: Ace of Disks, Ace of Cups, The Lovers
Answer: You have an opportunity to make this chance grow into a job offer, provided that you use the energy available. Work on being and look sympathetic and good for the company, a real team worker, and realise that there are other applicants as well. There is no perfect job, choices always have to be made. Make sure you pick to commit to that what is worthwhile to you.
Here, the Ace of Disks stands for the growing opportunity, the Ace of Cups for the loving, emotional opportunity (team-work) and the Lovers for choices and commitment.
Example:
"How will my date go Tomorrow?"
Cards: The Same.
Answer: You have an opportunity to ground your relationship, making it flower, the time is right for some romance. Love is in the Air.
Here, the Ace of Disks stand for Grounding, the Ace of Cups + The Lovers for the Love potential.
This combining of Cards to make it into a story and fitting it to a Question is really too much for computer Programs. And these were just 1 interpretation of these Cards. I could have written many different ones, especially because I didn't pick a deck. Art is rather important in Card Meanings to me. I only made Examples, Cards were never actually drawn for Querents.
Yes, I do feel that Computerised Readings have a place in this world. And I hope you don't think I'm sinking your boat =) Or just being overly annoying. Yes, I also worked with Turing Machines and did some minor work in AI. (Actually, I like it a lot). Personally, for me, it would be too much work to approach something that is reasonably close to what it should do. (Be a Tarot Reader)
However, it would be much easier and probably much more appriciated to make it into a Tarot Tool. One that gives meanings, and then people can easily write their own impressions with the Cards, and then print their Readings out for themselves.
This Tool would be of course for Tarot Readers themselves. Because we are the type to wish to change Spreads, Cards etc. It could feature a lot of options that are very easily likable, and you would make a lot of people happy with your work.
One of the options I would always like to see is the drawing of double Cards being allowed. When Reading for Clients in Big Spreads (15+ Cards), often, I read with 2 or 3 Decks. Each Deck standing for a seperate part of the Reading. (Head/Heart for example) The appearance of double Cards gives pause to think, and absorb that message even more. Although, sometimes the same Card, gives quite a different Meaning.
In this, a Computer Program would be much more handy, because they can give the option of doing this.
So, personally, for a Tarot Tool, I would focus on original ideas in which a Computer Program is better, then a hand shuffled Deck. Although I don't believe that a Computer Program would ever be better then a Reader.
Kahlie