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Is History a Science?
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Poll Question: Is history a science?
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15 [51.72%]
14 [48.28%]
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Aelfgifu View Drop Down
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Is History a Science?
    Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 08:07
And please explain your choice.
 
I have often have had to defend myself on this point, especially towards people from the beta-sciences. They seem to believe that what they do is 'hard' science which only depends on facts and proof, whereas history is only a pseudo- or 'soft' science, based on guesses and unprovable sources.
 
Although I can see where this attitude comes from, I do not agree with it. Although there is ample room for personal interpretation in history, there is so too in the exact sciences, which are often not as solid and absolute as they would appear.
 
And on the other side, even though history cannot be proven empirically, there are good methods for the usage of available sources which can exclude arbitrariness.
 
It is therefore my opinion that History can be considered a science in its own right.
 
What do you think?

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Reginmund View Drop Down
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Posts: 1943 		  Quote Reginmund Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 10:39
I agree with you. That absolute, irreversible proofs do not exist in historigraphy is no argument against it, because if you follow scepticism far enough there is no such thing as absolute certainty in any science. You simply have to reach a certain point of skepticism and decide that well, this is beyond reasonable doubt. Otherwise we'd never get anywhere with anything.

So then, I'd say it's beyond reasonable doubt that history is indeed a science, albeit not a natural science like say, chemistry, biology or astrophysics. Of course, to qualify as a scientest one needs to be researching something, preferably as part of an academic insitution and with a government or private research grant. I am myself an educated historian with a bachelor in historical studies, currently working on a master's dissertation, but I don't refer to myself as a scientist, at least not yet.
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 11:52
Yes, I think it is. Though it is not a natural science of course, and there are no universal rules or laws in history.

One thing I find strange is that economics is considered a 'hard' science by many, while history isn't. Economics definately isn't much more scientific than history. Economic 'laws' only apply as long as people follow them, unlike the laws of nature, which are true whatever the circumstances are.
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 12:13
No way is history a science. Its not even an art.
In science Newtons Laws of motion are absolute, we can't reinterpret them, but we can very easily reinterpret almost everthing in History.
 
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Posts: 1835 		  Quote vulkan02 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 12:47
I agree that history is like a science in a certain way. Like we study cells in biology we study humans and their interactions, creations, destructions in history. Also, since what a lot people do throughout history is linked to their natural instincts and emotions this assumption is correct.

Edited by vulkan02 - 08-Sep-2006 at 16:01
The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief - Le Bon
Destroy first and construction will look after itself - Mao
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Posts: 1943 		  Quote Reginmund Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 15:47
Originally posted by Sparten

No way is history a science. Its not even an art.
In science Newtons Laws of motion are absolute, we can't reinterpret them, but we can very easily reinterpret almost everthing in History.


It is both. And nothing is absolute, so that's not even relevant. Let's not be presumptious either, the established "laws" by which we percieve reality have changed before, and will probably change again.
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Posts: 1835 		  Quote vulkan02 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 16:03
Newtons Laws aren't absolute because they fail at quantum level.
The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief - Le Bon
Destroy first and construction will look after itself - Mao
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Posts: 1460 		  Quote akritas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 16:27

The purpose of history is to promote not group self-esteeem, but understanding of the world and the past, dispassionate analysis, judgment and perspective, respect for divergent cultures and traditions, and unflinching protection for those unifying ideas of tolerance, democracy, and human rights that make free historical inquiry possible. So Yes is a ScienceSmile

Even in the last century the History  using badly
-from the Holywood scriptions
-from the pseudo-internet historians
-from nationalist purposes


Edited by akritas - 08-Sep-2006 at 16:28
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Posts: 598 		  Quote Arbr Z Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Sep-2006 at 18:15
History is the continuous record of events, or total accumulation of past events, especially relating human affairs. Therefore history is not a science, but it can be the object of a science. History can be studied systematically, with scientific methods, and a systematical, methodical student of history can certainly be a scientist.
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Posts: 290 		  Quote Scytho-Sarmatian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Sep-2006 at 08:29
History is nothing more than literature--it's one of the humanities.  That's how they explained it at Cal State, where I got my B.A. in History!
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Sep-2006 at 09:49
Originally posted by Scytho-Sarmatian

History is nothing more than literature--it's one of the humanities.  That's how they explained it at Cal State, where I got my B.A. in History!
 
In my uni, History is part of the faculty of Arts. But still, saying that history is the same as German or French... Doesn't work for me. Nor for others: we were thaught that history is a science, albeit a soft one.
 
There is a school within the Historical community who believe that history is a Social Science. This school is called the Annales, and so is their publication magazine. Probably the most well known historian of this school is Emmanuel LeRoy Ladurie, who wrote 'Montaillou', about the Kathars.
What do you think about that point of view?

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Posts: 581 		  Quote Goban Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 01:36
History is not a science unless you include anthropology/archaeology, such as experimental Archaeology, etc... Science requires observation, something that is impossible to achieve while studying history from various texts. 
 
Also, history does lie. So, when we are pretty certain of historic facts, they should be supported with archaeological evidence, whenever possible.  This is where the science begins. We will then reconstruct, almost prove, that history which is written or at least find evidence to support it in some fashion.


Edited by Goban - 10-Sep-2006 at 01:43
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Posts: 984 		  Quote Quetzalcoatl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 02:01
Certainly not. History is simply a point of view, mostly distorted.

Edited by Quetzalcoatl - 10-Sep-2006 at 02:01
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Posts: 5697 		  Quote Omar al Hashim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 02:10
Originally posted by vulkan02

Newtons Laws aren't absolute because they fail at quantum level.

And at a relatavistic one.


Edited by Omar al Hashim - 10-Sep-2006 at 02:10
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Paul View Drop Down
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Posts: 952 		  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 08:52
Originally posted by Quetzalcoatl

Certainly not. History is simply a point of view, mostly distorted.
 
Isn't that the definition of science?
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Aelfgifu View Drop Down
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 12:52


Women hold their councils of war in kitchens: the knives are there, and the cups of coffee, and the towels to dry the tears.
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Posts: 984 		  Quote Quetzalcoatl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 05:21

This is a joke chart Aelfgifu. You can't have the sharp-witted Q fooled.

 @Paul

 No Paul, this is not the definition of science. Science is about observations; procedures; readings and measurements; calculation and theory; and, eventually, debates and conclusions. Science has its flaws, however.

History is the ravings of fools who think too much of themselves. Mostly lies, erected with pillars of truth, repeated over and over and made popular.

 



Edited by Quetzalcoatl - 11-Sep-2006 at 05:24
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Aelfgifu View Drop Down
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 05:23
History is the ravings of fools, who think too much of themselves. Mostly lies, erected with pillars of truth, repeated over and over and made popular.
 
So that is why you are hanging out on a history forum... Tongue

 

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Posts: 984 		  Quote Quetzalcoatl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 05:27
Originally posted by Aelfgifu

History is the ravings of fools, who think too much of themselves. Mostly lies, erected with pillars of truth, repeated over and over and made popular.
 
So that is why you are hanging out on a history forum... Tongue

 

 
King amongst fools, for the realisation had sunken in-- still a fool, though. LOL
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Posts: 1775 		  Quote Vivek Sharma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 08:18
Those who regard it as science, tend to ignore mythology & folklore as history, untill some stupid scientist gives some evidence to prove that what people considered to be true since ages is indeed true! 
PATTON NAGAR, Brains win over Brawn
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