Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 38, No. 441.
        Department of Digital Humanities, University of Cologne
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        Date: 2025-04-06 08:38:38+00:00
        From: Willard McCarty <willard.mccarty@mccarty.org.uk>
        Subject: Humanist as a research instrument

Dear colleagues,

As those who have lingered here for years will know, from time to time I
observe that Humanist makes a very useful instrument for research. This
is of course obvious when you're looking for something you cannot find.
It's less so for the perplexities and wild notions which cluster around
development of an idea into a paper or essay or lecture. I fear that the
perceived need for bullet-proof arguments keeps many from putting those
perplexities and wild ideas into words and posting them here. Where they
belong.

One of my deepest debts is to a senior colleague who taught me by
example that daring to say what you can about something, and so getting
others to respond, and so keeping our pot stirred and one's own mind
from congealing, can be not just a very good thing to do but what this
sort of work is all about. A paper or book ms to be published is another
matter, demands more restraint, but this here is a 'serious playground',
a safe space in which to venture ideas.

Or so I trust will be even more the case during Humanist's next 40
(almost) years.

All best,
Willard
--
Willard McCarty,
Professor emeritus, King's College London;
Editor, Humanist
www.mccarty.org.uk


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