[Up] [Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Perspectives - a Sinclair value



Greetings on the list to all;

I have long been a student of peoples differing perspectives, and appreciate how they see the world may in fact be different than mine. 

I also appreciate that I have a bias, given to me through my perspective. Indeed not all others will agree with me, because they see the world through their own eyes, their own experience, and I must respect that. We call this in our corner of the world, a respect for another's views, and more often than not, I find that others have more understanding or knowledge of a subject than I do. On electronic communications it is difficult to give voice to all your experience and reasoning, so we come out with conclusions that have disguised how we arrived at the point we did. This creates differences and miscommunication. It can create wounding if we get personal. How silly.

I also appreciate I have a limited viewpoint despite my intelligence and desire to know more. 

I applaud Laura on her knowledge of history and research abilities. I applaud John Q., Niven, Sinclair  and others that have been at Sinclair studies for a lot longer than I.  

I come with no apologies from where I sit, sharing at times what I see. Yes I am biased simply because I have arrived at a point of knowledge and time that brought me to a certain perspective. I share this perspective at times for others to take as they will from it. I do not hold myself out as the knower of all things. I am biased as a teacher, as a resident of Toronto Canada, as an American yet also a proud Scot, as a Sinclair, as native of Canada, as a Maritimer way back, as a descendant of the Sinclair's of Argyll, as a reader of "Matters Sinclair", as a Master Mason, as a Lawyer, as a father. All of these aspects shape my views and reflect what I am and what I have learned. Like everyone else on the planet I can only share what I have learned.

I have often disagreed with others I read on this list. We have an excellent professional archeologist on this list who views the evidences of Prince Henry's voyage as insufficient. I admire this individual very highly as a person and professional. I view the evidences as a student of Canadian History who accepts circumstantial and sociological evidence as valid. At the risk of stirring more debate the archeological proofs of Christ are very most rare. Yet a body of knowledge has evolved. We can see similarity when we debate the survival of the Templars or the Voyage of Henry and so on. We all see things differently and it is through this examination and re examination that we collectively approach truth and understanding. With luck perhaps we learn what lessons history can teach us today.

As a lawyer I am aware that the best and most famous decisions of the courts are often split with a dissenting perspective. Sometimes the dissent has more weight on other law than the majority view. But the bench differs and dissents with respect. 

 Socially we rarely agree in arriving at a democratic decision. There is always an opposition. Law is about weighing evidence and dissenting views and perspectives. We sometimes go to " Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" when seeking a high standard of proof. We otherwise go to the "balance of probabilities" or " more likely than not" in arriving at a civil resolution. 

Hence I can state with some certainty that Columbus was not the first to visit North America. This is beyond a reasonable doubt because of scientific proofs established to date. I can not however say that the Vikings were the first to visit North America. The Historical revisionists and anthropologists are rethinking our current views even as to the aboriginals being here first. New knowledge and perspectives are being brought to the table. I have read Nivens evidence and most every book on Henry Sinclair I can put my hands on. ("Tim we are waiting for yours!). As a resident of Canada I am not at all surprised about such a voyage, simply because the transportation route had been used for hundreds of years before Henry. One taught say for example as a student in Florida, they would possibly not be aware of Basque Fishermen in North America in 1200 or the bards of the Vikings. There knowledge may be different than a student in Halifax or one sitting in Lund University. 

My point is simply that on this list we have many fine perspectives, persons questioning and those of knowledge in varying degrees. We have and will continue to explore and share. Hats off to John for being the enabler of the sharing of knowledge. I continue to learn from everyone of you. May we do so in respect and harmony.

Neil Sinclair
Toronto/PEI/Forever Argyll