Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 5th October 2010, 05:43 AM

David, I am not attempting to quash discussion.

If there is a group consensus that the ideas, stories and unsubstantiated hypotheses are a valuable contribution to keris knowledge, then by all means let those who consider this to be so bring forth those ideas and stories.

Personally I feel that there are already far too many fairy stories about the keris floating around. We can call these fairy stories folk tales, or myths, or legends but they do not bring us any closer to an answer to Cedric's question. Had his question been phrased differently, we may have had room to move and we could dragged out all the quaint and interesting yarns we've heard and entertained one another with them, but that was not what Cedric asked for:-

"--- the relation between the handle and the blade. ---
Does anybody think that the handle is anything more than just a grip to handle the blade, and is there any opinion on the role of the handle on guarding or protecting the recipient faculty of the keris blade?"

and then following my prompt, he specified a time and place.

An opinion is a view or judgement that one has formed about something.

It can be an informed opinion, in which case we should be able to substantiate it, or it can be an uninformed opinion, when we are unable to substantiate it.

I have little time for unsubstantiated opinion. I do have several "good ideas" in relation to the form and cultural significance of keris hilts, but at present I cannot produce support for these "good ideas" so they will remain unstated. If I ever do state them, they will be stated with some semblance of logical supporting evidence.

But that's only me, if others wish to present unsubstantiated opinion that is always their prerogative.

In the terms of Cedric's question, I am unable to present him with an opinion which I can support.

I repeat:-

I am not attempting to quash discussion.

In fact I have already provided a couple of questions which , in light of past experience, should generate discussion. Who knows, we might even get a replay of the beautiful Durga hilt discussions.

5th October 2010, 05:43 AM	#125
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,705	David, I am not attempting to quash discussion. If there is a group consensus that the ideas, stories and unsubstantiated hypotheses are a valuable contribution to keris knowledge, then by all means let those who consider this to be so bring forth those ideas and stories. Personally I feel that there are already far too many fairy stories about the keris floating around. We can call these fairy stories folk tales, or myths, or legends but they do not bring us any closer to an answer to Cedric's question. Had his question been phrased differently, we may have had room to move and we could dragged out all the quaint and interesting yarns we've heard and entertained one another with them, but that was not what Cedric asked for:- "--- the relation between the handle and the blade. --- Does anybody think that the handle is anything more than just a grip to handle the blade, and is there any opinion on the role of the handle on guarding or protecting the recipient faculty of the keris blade?" and then following my prompt, he specified a time and place. An opinion is a view or judgement that one has formed about something. It can be an informed opinion, in which case we should be able to substantiate it, or it can be an uninformed opinion, when we are unable to substantiate it. I have little time for unsubstantiated opinion. I do have several "good ideas" in relation to the form and cultural significance of keris hilts, but at present I cannot produce support for these "good ideas" so they will remain unstated. If I ever do state them, they will be stated with some semblance of logical supporting evidence. But that's only me, if others wish to present unsubstantiated opinion that is always their prerogative. In the terms of Cedric's question, I am unable to present him with an opinion which I can support. I repeat:- I am not attempting to quash discussion. In fact I have already provided a couple of questions which , in light of past experience, should generate discussion. Who knows, we might even get a replay of the beautiful Durga hilt discussions.