In a message dated 98-06-04 16:40:23 EDT, you write:
 
<< The last I was aware, this listserv, nor any other for that matter,
 required a person to give a justification for their research question
 to you or anyone else.  I'm sure that any researcher has already asked
 the questions you have asked and come up with a research plan but
 stating the research plan in an email is not required nor wanted.  So
 you want to play devil's advocate. OK.  Here's a question:  Why study
 anything at all.  What do we hope to gain?  Why not let things just go
 on as they have been and never look at the cultures that came before
 us?  After all, all that is behind us now.
 
 emily
  >>
 
Granted, my response was a little flippant, but it was a serious question that
I believe touches on a whole range of theoretical and substantive issues.  As
noted in the first sentence, it was not an assault on the original author,
whom I consider a colleague.  Please reconsider my original posting.
 
Mark