Changes

[[image:Bovis.jpg|thumb|right|Bovis-units according to A. Bovis|300px]]

[[image:Bovis.jpg|thumb|right|Bovis-units according to A. Bovis|300px]]

The '''Bovis-scale''' (''Bovis-units'') is used by [[Radiesthesia|radiesthesists]] (dowsers) and adherents of [[geomancy]] to describe the "strength" of am alleged "subtle energy" or "life energy", or a postulated "cosmo-telluric energy". This unit is not accepted scientifically and has a [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] character.

The '''Bovis scale''' (''Bovis units'') is used by [[Radiesthesia|radiesthesists]] (dowsers) and adherents of [[geomancy]] to describe the "strength" of an alleged "subtle energy" or "life energy", or an alleged "cosmo-telluric energy". This unit is not accepted scientifically and is of [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] character.

==The origins, and the inventor A. Bovis==

==The origins, and the inventor A. Bovis==

[[image:A_Bovis.jpg|A. Bovis (putative Antoine Bovis)|left|200px|thumb]][[image:Andre_Bovis.jpg|André Bovis|left|150px|thumb]]

[[image:A_Bovis.jpg|A. Bovis (putative Antoine Bovis)|left|200px|thumb]][[image:Andre_Bovis.jpg|André Bovis|left|150px|thumb]]

The origins of the term "Bovis" is unclear. According to different sources, the Bovis scale was named after an alleged French physicist, radiesthesist, inventor, and tinkerer by the name of Bovis. His first name is referred as Anton<ref>http://www.energynics.com/bovis-scale.shtml</ref>, Antoine<ref>http://www.jenskleemann.de/wissen.php4?p=b/bo/bovis.html</ref><ref>http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/issue23/translation_Bovis.html</ref>, "André Bovis from Nice"<ref>http://www.conscienceverte.fr/la-regle-de-bovis-%28premiere-partie%29-2-168.html</ref>, or Alfred<ref>http://www.magic-places.ch/Boviseinh.html</ref>. But there are no doubts about his birth date, January 12, 1871 in Nice (France). A. Bovis died November 13, 1947.

The origins of the term "Bovis" is unclear. According to different sources, the Bovis scale was named after an alleged French physicist, radiesthesist, inventor, and bioler smith by the name of Bovis. His first name is referred as Anton<ref>http://www.energynics.com/bovis-scale.shtml</ref>, Antoine<ref>http://www.jenskleemann.de/wissen.php4?p=b/bo/bovis.html</ref><ref>http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/issue23/translation_Bovis.html</ref>, "André Bovis from Nice"<ref>http://www.conscienceverte.fr/la-regle-de-bovis-%28premiere-partie%29-2-168.html</ref>, or Alfred<ref>http://www.magic-places.ch/Boviseinh.html</ref>. But there are no doubts about his birth date, January 12, 1871 in Nice (France). A. Bovis died November 13, 1947.

The Czech radio-technician and pseudo-scientist Karel Drbal, in his book ''The Struggle for the Pyramid Patent'',<ref>Drbal, Karel: The Struggle for the Pyramid Patent. Warner Destiny, 1976)</ref>, asserts that the inventor of the Bovis scale was Antoine Bovis who allegedly owned a hard-ware store, did private radiesthetic studies and worked on a [[Esotericism|esoteric]] pyramid energy. The website "sceptic.com" also mentions a Antoine Bovis.<ref>http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/issue23/translation_Bovis.html</ref> Sceptic.com shows a book by an "A. Bovis" in which he describes his ''"méthode niçoise de radiesthesie"'' (Nicoise method of radiesthesia) with his ''biometre''. However, the first name Antoine is never mentioned, the author is always described as "Mr. A. Bovis", and with a postal address of "Bovis, 15 rue Pertinax, Nice". Apparently, and for unknown reasons, the author decided not to reveal his first name.  

Czech radio-technician and pseudo-scientist Karel Drbal, in his book ''The Struggle for the Pyramid Patent'',<ref>Drbal, Karel: The Struggle for the Pyramid Patent. Warner Destiny, 1976)</ref>, asserts that the inventor of the Bovis scale was Antoine Bovis who allegedly owned a hard-ware store, did private radiesthetic studies and worked on a [[Esotericism|esoteric]] pyramid energy. The website "sceptic.com" also mentions one Antoine Bovis.<ref>http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/issue23/translation_Bovis.html</ref> Sceptic.com shows a book by one "A. Bovis" in which he describes his ''"méthode niçoise de radiesthesie"'' (Nicoise method of radiesthesia) with his ''biometre''. However, the first name Antoine is never mentioned, the author is always described as "Mr. A. Bovis", with a postal address of "Bovis, 15 rue Pertinax, Nice". Apparently, and for unknown reasons, the author decided not to reveal his first name.  

On the other hand there is no doubt that "Mr. A. Bovis" in fact was André Bovis, a tinkerer, inventor, and radiesthesist from Nice in southern France. His grandson Jacques Bovis, who defines himself as a "geobiologist", refers to his grandfather André Bovis and his alleged radiesthetic abilities.<ref>http://www.geobiologie.fr/pages_fr/enseignants.php</ref>.  

On the other hand there is no doubt that "Mr. A. Bovis" in fact was André Bovis, a boiler smith, inventor, and radiesthesist from Nice in southern France. His grandson Jacques Bovis, who defines himself as a "geobiologist", refers his alleged radiesthetic abilities to his grandfather André Bovis.<ref>http://www.geobiologie.fr/pages_fr/enseignants.php</ref>.  

French citizen André Simoneton seems to have made further developments of Bovis's invention, and he spoke of a so-called ''radio vitality'' (radiovitalité). Both Bovis and Simoneton related the Bovis scale to the wellknown lenth-scale Ångström (1&nbsp;Å = 0,1&nbsp;nm or 10⁻¹⁰m). On an original Bovis scale made by Bovis, the unit Ångström can be seen (see picture).

French citizen André Simoneton seems to have made further developments of Bovis's invention, and he spoke of a so-called ''radio vitality'' (radiovitalité). Both Bovis and Simoneton related the Bovis scale to the wellknown length scale Ångström (1&nbsp;Å = 0,1&nbsp;nm or 10⁻¹⁰m). On an original Bovis scale made by Bovis, the unit Ångström can be seen (see picture).

==Bovis reading==

==Bovis reading==

A Bovis figure of 6,500 is considered "neutral", lower figures affect human "energies" negatively, higher figures are said to have a positive effect.  

A Bovis figure of 6,500 is considered "neutral", lower figures affect human "energies" negatively, higher figures are said to have a positive effect.  

Figures above 10,000 are in the "ethereal range" and considered to be [[Place of Power|Places of power]]

Figures above 10,000 are in the "ethereal range" and considered to be [[Place of Power|places of power]]

Bovis figures according to German dowser Markus Schirner<ref>Schirner M, Pendel-Set, Schirner-Verlag, ISBN:3-930944-65-0</ref>

Bovis figures according to German dowser Markus Schirner<ref>Schirner M, Pendel-Set, Schirner-Verlag, ISBN:3-930944-65-0</ref>

==Criticism==

==Criticism==

[[image:Vibracell.jpg|Example of advertisement for a comestible using "Bovis values"|420px|thumb]]

[[image:Vibracell.jpg|Example of advertisement for a comestible using "Bovis values"|420px|thumb]]

The Bovis scale is used on a basis of undefined or cloudy words like "life energy", "astralic" or "vitality". Furthermore, known scientific terms (energy, radiation, measurement) are used, but their meaning is not disclosed, an indication of pseudoscience. There is no definition given for the "Bovis units" and there are no known detecting or calibrating instruments for the claimed "subtle energies". Effects deduced from pendulum movements are known to be influenced by the Carpenter effect.

The Bovis scale is used on a basis of undefined, imprecise or obscure terms like "life energy", "astralic" or "vitality". Furthermore, while established scientific terms (energy, radiation, measurement) are being used, their meaning is not disclosed, an indication of pseudoscience. There is no definition given for the "Bovis units" and there are no known detecting or calibrating instruments for the claimed "subtle energies". Effects deduced from pendulum movements are known to be influenced by the Carpenter effect.

Some sources, among them inventors Bovis and Simoneton, relate their Bovis values to the known unit Ångström while speaking about "wavelenghth" of alleged measured radiations. Some authors also speak about "Bio-Ångström", making it further difficult to understand what they are talking about. Using Bovis values as length units, they can be used to assign an energy in its physical meaning. But by doing this, an increasing Bovis value will rather assign decreasing energies (as known in physics), because the wavelenghth of an electromagnetic radiation is inversely proportional to its frequency, and not increasing energy as supporters of the Bovis concept state. Also, using the Bovis figures as Ångström, the claimed radiation energy would be visible.

Some sources, among them inventors Bovis and Simoneton, relate their Bovis values to the known unit Ångström while speaking about "wavelength" of alleged measured radiations. Some authors also speak about "Bio-Ångström", making it further difficult to understand what they are talking about. Using Bovis values as length units, they can be used to assign an energy in its physical meaning. But by doing this, an increasing Bovis value will rather assign decreasing energies (as known in physics), because the wavelenghth of an electromagnetic radiation is inversely proportional to its frequency, and not increasing energy, as supporters of the Bovis concept state. Also, using Bovis figures as Ångström, the claimed radiation energy would be visible.

Sometimes the Bovis figures are used to diagnose diseases in humans. There is no rational basis for this pseudo-medical use.

Sometimes Bovis figures are used to diagnose diseases in humans. There is no rational basis for this pseudo-medical use.

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{{OtherLang|ge=Bovis-Einheit|en=Bovis scale}}