the gods

[Edwin F Bryant]

On Tue, 27 May 1997, George Thompson wrote
>  
> If you, Howard, Edwin & Martin, want to delineate boundaries between
> religion and science, be my guest [so to speak]. But I think that Greg
> Downing and the rest of us should be permitted to discuss Vedic philology
> without such rude, utterly unwarranted imnterruptions
> 
Well, George, someone like the literary critic Gadamer would say that even
an author has no more jurisdiction over his 'text' (read email), once it
is in the public sphere, than anyone else; new meanings may be culled from
it which were perhaps not anticipated by the author.  Be that as it may,   
as far as I am aware, there is no legislation preventing a posting to this
list for a specific purpose (ie Greg Downing's) being used as a spring
board for starting a new topic of discussion.   You and Greg and anyone
else are perfectly entitled to discuss Vedic philology (as a Vedicist,
positivist, Buddhist, father, American or in any other state of mind) and
Howard and Gene Thursby and anyone else are simultaneously permitted to
discuss the jurisdiction of metaphysics and positivism.  The posting in
question, then, was not "utterly unwarranted". 

As for the rudeness content, I think everyone bothering to follow this
exchange will have their own opinion as to which of the postings were most
guilty of this. In view of Beatrice's recent posting, perhaps we should
recall what what you yourself said about it being "Vedic to be polite to
guests".   And let's move on (cordially, if possible).   Regards,   Edwin
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