Sapir-Whorf Redux! (was Re: Max Weber's Genteel Racism)

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> At 10:32 PM 12/5/00 -0500, Yoshie quotes Jim Blaut.
>
> IMHO, Blaut is one of those writers who in three opening paragraphs manages
> to convince the readers that reading the remaining n pages is the utter
> waste of their time.
>
> wojtek

I've had my share of disagreement with the late & lamented Jim M.
Blaut, for I objected to his equation of "historical priority" with
"superiority," & I still do.

However, Jim had a virtue of _believing in neither the Sapir-Whorf
thesis nor Max Weber_.  Anyone who believes in the magical powers of
the so-called "European civilization" -- to say nothing of the
miraculous virtues of double-entry book-keeping -- is not in a
position to criticize believers in the Sapir-Whorf brand of
linguistic determinism.  It is utterly ridiculous to think -- as
Kelley does -- that one can criticize Sapir & Whorf by appealing to
Weber!!!

Yoshie