Date: Fri, 07 Jun 1996 15:51:51 -0400
To: "Scott A. Simmons" 
Subject: Re: questions of origin

Thank you for your last, especially the kind words at the end.

It seems as to "influence" there is not much that separates us.
You concede it, but quibble as to degree.  You concede plagiarism
also, I think, but plead as a mitigating factor that today's
standards should not apply to the ancients.  That pretty much
covers your original question.  As to some of the ancillary
issues that also arose, I would only comment that there is a lot
of ground between dogmatism and a state of permanently maintained
nescience.  I imagine there might even be some philosophical
inconsistency in holding too strongly to the latter.  

In any event, the discussion has been fun.  All the best in
your present and future endeavors, scholarly and otherwise.

Regards,

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