an appeal to scholars and Prof. Witzel's response

[Guest guest]

I changed the topic of the thread to remove the annoying quotes on the

word scholar.

 

 

 

INDOLOGY, Michael Witzel <witzel@f...> wrote:

> I agree with George Thompson.

> (who is not up for promotion, here, by the way :-)

Which part of George Thompson's post do you agree with? Do you endorse

his statements about "Hindu fanatics" and "thugs"? Was he speaking

for you by proxy?

 

He may not be up for promotion at your own institution, but it is

obvious that you have a direct influence on his future in academia.

(Or is it that you have never written a letter supporting a case for

tenure at another institution?) So your endorsement of his views is

significant.

 

 

 

>

> It is indeed best just to shut up or answer only to serious

Indologcial

> questions (maybe better privately!!).

>

 

Knowledge grows from sharing it with others-at least that is the

traditional Indian view. The passage of information is not all from

you to the rest of the list. You are here to learn just like the rest

of us. At least that is the hunble attitude that a scholar needs to

have if he is to grow and learn more.

 

> This list has deteriorated beyond description, as was expected when

Dominik

> set it up in this form... Similar excesses on other not moderated

lists.

> Forget it.

>

> People come with preconceived ideas, only want to see them

reconfirmed, and

> blast everybody else with all sorts of nice epithets, dragging up

anything

> they can find or imigine to tear down their 'opponents.' This is

not a

> presidential election, folks! Nor a chat room. There are many others

for

> that... Go to "the other list" Anything goes there and everybody is

a

> scholar...

>

This entire passage is unscholarly. I dont comment on it since I am

conforming to the code of ethics. ( Let us see what effect this has on

your behaviour.)

 

 

 

> This is supposed to be a discussion list, which means, at least in a

> traditional sense, that it is not about scholastic, vivaada style

'winning'

> a point and about shouting, but about learning something new from

each

> other. Well, forget it.

>

I am glad you agree that this list is about learning and not merely

about winning arguments. Hopefully the learning can go both ways.

 

 

> First you set the fire, then you call for the fire brigade: and

call this

> Ethics??

>

The fire was set in Europe when Indology was blatanty abused.

That fire consumed six million ( at least!) lives.

What is needed is for us to form a fire brigade to prevent new abuses.

 

 

Do Indologists currently have a code of ethics they operate under?

If so was it arrived at unilaterally or through public discussion?

 

 

> Bye now.

>

> MW>

> ========================================================

> Michael Witzel

> Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University

> 2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

>

> ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)

> home page: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm

>

> Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies:

http://nautilus.shore.net/~india/ejvs/