Research and Discussion Forums

Mike, we can only go on what you write. I must admit to having to spend a while making sure that my posts are (hopefully) coherent and that those who do not have English as first language will be able to understand them. It's one of the perils of writing on-line.

Regardless, in the interests of ...

Darn, I feel about as far away from HEMA as I can possibly be, it only feels like an on topic discussion because it has to do with the editorial, not with Historical European Martial Arts (I did not see the link between those two so clearly in the first place, probably a languge barrier).

This ...

OT, but an excellent list of such works is the St John's College reading list

Why would you use their reading list?

Because I think holds a large number of books that have been influencial in a wide number of cultures.



and you don't even believe it exists. You are even hinting that we have ...

I understand your point there, I think, that democracy grew out of the Athenian ideal, into what we now think of as representative democracy.

However, Parliamentary democracy is, I feel, as much a product of Germanic cultures. For example the Anglo-Saxon Witenagemot. In addition, the granting of ...

I have not been able to follow this due to studies so excuse me if I jump straight in and fall short, but how come the article discussed here has changed its content since I first read it? editing is cool, but should it not be labelled to be so if it has been?

I would certainly think it should ...

Mr Tausk, are you really claiming that it was the length of Ms Boyden's reply that meant it was not responded to?

I'd agree with you that it is perfectly possible to give a succinct polite reply to a post, something I think would have avoided much of the bad feeling on both sides of this debate.

Finally, I am amazed at how the simple act of debate seems to be a lost art. Here is an example of how to make a possible criticism of John's EDITORIAL. Watch and be amazed, oh boys and girls, I will do this in less than 100 words and there will be nary a cry about being "offended" or by making ...

Mr Clements has still to provide any justification for his claim that Turkey cannot claim decent from Greece, that "Western Civilization alone produced the concepts of scientific inquiry, religious tolerance, individual liberty, economic freedom, and the rule of law"

Interesting that you added ...

These titles are do not preach the now standard anti-Western anti-Classical view of history so many have only been exposed to. Since most higher education has all but abandoned Classical curriculum on Western Civ and the Humanities, and most people interested in our subject are learned only off ...

Its patently absurd to think that western culture doesn't exist, i don't care how many academics care to ignore it in favor of political correcteness. .

Sorry, but I must beg to differ on this. What you claim as obvious, I claim is simply lazy scholarship and an unwillingness or inability to set ...

I would add:

The Golden Sayings of Epictetus and The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, if I may.

They are redundant after your list, but serve to drive the point home.

"There is no new philosophy, only re walking Aristotle's ground."

Agreed, however I havnen't read either. I'm reading Vegetius ...

Interesting that you added the "alone" to the quote.

That was a cut/paste from a previous post. Interesting how you only choose to mention it 2 days after the original post.

Show me another civilization that has added the concepts of scientific inquiry.

And religious tolerance.

And individual ...

But the point of the article is to also see the ideas that led the Spartans, with all of their flaws, to willingly throw themselves at impossible odds. We can see this in many people using many thought processes in justifying it. Here, we can see the noble ideas that connect to our own values in ...

Mr Welch - I'm really, really confused as to why you think we are denigrating 'western culture'? I don't see anyone doing that.

From my imperfect view this side of a keyboard you, and some others, seem to be conflating the legitimate academic criticisms of Mr Clements' article and expressions of ...

Sorry, but we have a little thing called an "editorial" and "free speech" in our country. If you disagree, go write your own editorial. I make no apology for pride in the achievements and values of my culture and heritage. If it makes you feel differently that's your issue and perhaps you shouldn't ...