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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Language Evolution

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: Karl Randolph <kwrandolph AT email.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Language Evolution
  • Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 16:56:35 +0100

On 22/09/2005 16:34, Karl Randolph wrote:

Peter:

It is a common belief that all knowledge has to be scientific knowledge. ...
Though history is not science, it is no less valid knowledge than science.


Agreed, certainly on Simpson et al's rather restricted definition of science. For that matter, nor is much that is generally recognised as physical science, such as observational astronomy. And while linguistics of modern languages just might count as science, historical linguistics does not.

So stop complaining that what I and others put forward on this forum is not science. This is not a forum for discussion of science, but of a historical language and related historical ideas. Judge what is posted here not as science but as history and so as "no less valid knowledge than science".

...

The people I pity are those who insist that all knowledge must be scientific knowledge, and any study that is not scientific is nonsense. They must either give up logic or live in such ahistorical solipsism that even a seven second memory is long term.


In that case, Karl, pity yourself, for it is you who has been persistently refusing even to study historical comparative lingustics because it is not science, by Simpson's narrow definition. Don't expect it to be science, but allow it to be "no less valid knowledge than science". Study it as history, and you will find that it gives a much better attested history than almost anything which can be reconstructed from archaeology.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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