Truth and method in Indology

[Jan E.M. Houben]

On Sun, 31 May 1998,  S Krishna <mahadevasiva at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

>  One interesting development from the discussion seems to be that
we have *obtained* *limits* for Veda composition: The Sarasvatists( from
what I understand) think that it happened in 8000 BC and Manansala-ists(
after Paul Kekai Manansala) think it was composed
in 500 BC...so why don't we just average the whole thing out?

What is the value of the average of two guesses of which at least one can be
quite easily disproved? Rather search for more satisfactory methods than for
quick and soothing results. See end of my first *truth and method* posting for
some hints on the methodological state of the art of the main disciplines
involved in the issue. And see my posting *Indo-Aryan im-/e-migration
discussion and beyond* for a suggestion how to proceed in a methodologically
sound way.

Greetings, JH