[gothic-l] Re: The Gothic Migration Epic

[faltin2001]

--- In gothic-l at y..., "xigung" <keth at o...> wrote:
> --- In gothic-l at y..., "faltin2001" <dirk at s...> wrote:
> > --- In gothic-l at y..., "xigung" <keth at o...> wrote:
> >
> > > I think Germany certainly existed at the time.
> > > In fact, I think it was slightly bigger than it
> > > is now, since the waves have since removed parts
> > > of its coast line up in the North.
> >
>
> > No, Germany did not exist in any form 2000 years ago. The best we
> can
> > refer to is the territory of modern Germany.
> >
> >
>
> Then you don't distinguish between the name of a thing
> and the thing itself. Say you find a stray dog and name
> it Daisy, but you don't know it used to be called Dolly.
> Then the dog certainly existed before you found it.
> When we say "Daysy is 8 years old", we mean the dog
> and not the name.
>
> Cheers
> Keth


This example is certainly amusing, but I think it misses the point. A
political entity is not a unique individuum. Once you change its name
and identity you creat a new entity that was not in existence
previously. Of course the territory of modern Germany existed 2000
years ago as I said, but Germany did not. Using your logic all modern
states existed for hundred of thousands of years, because the
territory that they are currently occupying existed that long and
longer. Daisy (i.e. Germany) was born somtimes in the early medieval
period, maybe as child of Dolly (i.e. Germanic dukedoms) but it is
not the same as Dolly and should not be confused with Dolly.;->

cheers
Dirk




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