Assumptions baked into the VMS carbon dating

[eggyk]

You are also saying I seem to have some prior belief about the nature of the parchment, when I literally don't. 

I'm sorry, but this is a good example of your not understanding what has been explained throughout several comments in this thread. You see, I neither said nor implied any like this. 

You misunderstood my references to "prior beliefs" and my descriptions of their role. I usually assume that such confusion is my fault -- due to me not expressing things clearly enough -- but I don't see that here. Which is why I just don't think further explanation is efficient for either of us.

Well, okay, this is kinda embarrassing for me, because I genuinely, honestly misread what you typed and it looks pretty damning given what we've just been discussing. Sorry. I'm not aiming to be obtuse and dismissive. 

I would still appreciate if you are willing to explain some things that I have not grasped, because I can't come to the right conclusion if I don't know what exactly i'm not understanding. I would like to know why the fact that other books can have different sources of parchment does not hold the weight I think it does, for example.