Aeronautics in Ancient India?

[Lars Martin Fosse]

At 13:32 27.06.97 BST, you wrote:
>Subscribers to this list either believe in or take very seriously
>(or both) all kinds of things that many of their academic colleagues
>(and not only their academic scientific colleagues) regard as
>ludicrous, discredited and not worthy of study.  

This, of course, is true. 

That some of
>these subscribers should rush to distance themselves from the
>topic of vimanas is as sociologically interesting as it is
>inconsistent.

Not at all. There are beliefs and beliefs. Most educated people today
realize that the earth if round, not flat. There is a flat earth society for
those who cling to the old belief, but I don't think they would be allowed
to participate in serious scholarly debate on the cosmos. If you still
believe that the earth is flat, you are quite simply a bit daft, and it is
legitimate to keep you out of the debate so that you don't disturb. The same
thing with creationism: It is for people "with special interests". Serious
biologists asking them to go somewhere else and don't waste other people's
time are in their good right. If every conceivable idiocy should be allowed
in professional discussion, we would be swamped by irrelevant postings. It
is quite proper to demand a certain level of quality. For that reason, some
arguments and ideas are ruled "out of court", whereas others, although not
accepted by everyone, are allowed. 

Best regards,

Lars Martin Fosse


Dr.art. Lars Martin Fosse
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