Panini's grammar and Boolean logic

[Dominik Wujastyk]

In message Wed, 06 Oct 93 21:25:25 BST,
  rajs at lugano.esd.sgi.com (Raj Sehgal)  writes:

> On Oct 6,  9:02pm, Dominik Wujastyk wrote:
>>... Tell Briggs that Boole (1815-1864) lived after Panini (c. 4th-5th
>> cent. BC).
>
> Ummm, yes, but I'm sure the author implied the reference to the body of
> knowledge before it became known as Boolean logic; would you not agree
> that the techniques used to construct the Egyptian pyramids were based on
> Newtonian mechanics?

Obviously I know what you mean, and what Briggs meant.  I wondered if
anyone would take my statement as anything but a dry joke.

But similarly, given the way you state the "Newtonian Pyramid" idea I would
certainly disagree.  This is sloppy use of language, pointing to sloppy
thinking.  It may not matter much in the larger scheme of things, since we
can all guess what is meant.  But I am coming across a rapidly-increasing
volume of "scientific fundamentalist" literature from India in which all
sorts of crackpot claims are made for the existence of advanced scientific
achievements in Vedic times.  In this climate of thought I think we must
all take special responsibility for being clear about matters concerning
scientific priority, and history generally.

Dominik
--
Dominik Wujastyk           Phone (and voice messages): +44 71 611 8467