Clearing up a Common Misconception

It is a common misconception that SPQR2 stands for the Society of Public Quintographical Research II.

Quintography is derived from the Latin quintus “fifth” and the Greek suffix -γραφία, relating to writing or image. It is the study of “the Fifth Image”, a concept developed in the late 19th century by Scottish philosopher and mathematician Kenneth “Kenny” Middleton, starting with five postulates. In 1894, he moved to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, establishing a school in Brno. He later became well known for the Czuber-Middleton theorem in probability theory, which he published with Emanuel Czuber in 1909. His work on quintography remained obscure until the mid-twentieth century, as in his later years he devoted his study to mathematics. A few years prior to his death in 1913, Middleton started to suffer from severe panic attacks and mania, as well as depression. Many people today think that he was suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder. The close relationship between Middleton’s quintography and SPQR2 is why this misconception is commonly believed.