Of course, I agree with everything you say here--that was the entire point of the original post, that we can't define the clearly flexible boundaries. So I'm not sure what it is you're objecting to, exactly.
I would disagree that the period debates are pointless, though--hashing them out can involve a lot of good thought and conversation and dialectic as ideas about the periods and texts involved get worked out. As long as no one thinks they're saying the last word on the matter, or that one is working towards a "correct definition" instead of a particular lens, such discussions can be very fruitful.
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Date: 2007-04-13 12:40 pm (UTC)I would disagree that the period debates are pointless, though--hashing them out can involve a lot of good thought and conversation and dialectic as ideas about the periods and texts involved get worked out. As long as no one thinks they're saying the last word on the matter, or that one is working towards a "correct definition" instead of a particular lens, such discussions can be very fruitful.