# Comment on "Was Nostradamus able to predict the future?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713 "2009-02-06T16:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![James\_Randi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@James\_Randi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Randi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/1 "2009-02-06T16:01:00Z")
The film referred to here, used some fake quatrains, some pieced together from real ones, but others invented… I suggest that the inquirer seek out more accurate sources of information. My book, for example – “The Mask of Nostradamus” – would be an excellent source, in my estimation… James Randi ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/2 "2009-02-06T16:23:20Z")
Hello and welcome to the board. A link to the column: [Was Nostradamus able to predict the future?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/45/was-nostradamus-really-able-to-predict-the-future) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/3 "2009-02-06T16:36:10Z")
Wow, this is like a visit from **Cecil** , only better. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/4 "2009-02-06T16:55:59Z")
Randi, great book. One thing I don’t remember (I don’t have it handy) is Nostradamus reasons for writing the “predictions.” Can you briefly explain them? ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/5 "2009-02-06T17:45:11Z")
I feel almost obliged to doubt the probity of the OP’s user name. :dubious: It interests me that so often a person claiming supernal abilities is self promoting and has a lot to gain from leading people to believe in their powers. In the case of Nostradamus, people seem to be not only willfully ingnorant, but actively looking for topics to be ignorant about. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/6 "2009-02-06T17:46:17Z")
OMG! Really? I only belong to one other board, the JREF. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/7 "2009-02-06T18:20:02Z")
Jeez. What took you so long? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/8 "2009-02-06T18:21:19Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Jeez. What took you so long? 🙂 Well, he’s averaging about a post a year. Give him a break, he’s pretty old. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/9 "2009-02-06T18:21:30Z")
It’s not like he’s a mindreader or anything… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/10 "2009-02-06T18:24:34Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > I feel almost obliged to doubt the probity of the OP’s user name. :dubious: Look at his profile, contact info goes to Randi’s site. Also he first registered in 2007, pretty long time to keep a joke going. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/11 "2009-02-06T18:29:05Z")
Also, the registered email address IS Randi’s. I know because I’ve emailed back and forth with him several times in the past. It’s not possible to register with an email address you don’t have access to. It’s him. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/12 "2009-02-06T18:47:20Z")
Um, let’s get over the “Is it really HIM?” stuff quickly, okay? Here’s my test for anyone claiming precognitive powers: Win the lottery more than twice. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/13 "2009-02-06T19:00:23Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Um, let’s get over the “Is it really HIM?” stuff quickly, okay? That’s kind of a ridiculous comment to make on a message board full of skeptics. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/14 "2009-02-06T19:15:09Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Um, let’s get over the “Is it really HIM?” stuff quickly, okay? > [@Q.E.D](#): > > That’s kind of a ridiculous comment to make on a message board full of skeptics. I believe **Krokodil** is objecting to the “Is it really HIM?” stuff, as opposed to the “Is it REALLY him?” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/15 "2009-02-06T19:18:24Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > .. Win the lottery more than twice. I’ll admit that for Nostradamus that would be impressive indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/16 "2009-02-06T19:45:54Z")
> [@zut](#): > > I believe **Krokodil** is objecting to the “Is it really HIM?” stuff, as opposed to the “Is it REALLY him?” stuff. Ah, you mean gushing. I can agree with that. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/17 "2009-02-06T19:48:03Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Here’s my test for anyone claiming precognitive powers: Win the lottery more than twice. It’s [happened before](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26350662/). That’s not the only case, either. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/18 "2009-02-06T21:02:49Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > It’s [happened before](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26350662/). That’s not the only case, either. In thus case, they had four tickets with the same numbers for the same lottery. Impressive, but not in a “We’re low on funds, let’s buy another winning Powerball ticket” kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/19 "2009-02-06T21:05:15Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > I’ll admit that for Nostradamus that would be impressive indeed. Why? Had gambling not yet been invented? ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713/20 "2009-02-06T21:53:38Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Why? Had gambling not yet been invented? Well, there were lotteries around during his lifetime and before, but of course today he has the unfortunate disadvantage of being dust. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comment-on-was-nostradamus-able-to-predict-the-future/484713.md?page=2)