As stated by Sengor, historical knowledge is as good as any other type of
knowledge, which is based on interpreting data.  The data tend to be
incomplete, when viewed globally.  Yet, they may contain enough resources
to permit useful interpretations.

I do not know of any discipline that does not rely on history.  It is
because we pay attention to harmful reactions, or to dangerous experiments
that we do not repeat them involuntarily.   The quotation, "History is a
pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't
there." is an intrinsically wrong observation, and it obviously contradicts
the more useful quotation, "Those who forget history are condemned to
repeat it."

If truth were told, data are necessarily interpretive in nature.  Stuff
that we see is interpreted by our eyes that can process electromagnetic
radiation within the spectrum that we call the visible wavelength.
Moreover, the data is comprehended after it is sifted by valuation, which
is strongly dependent on "societal values", and the "family values"
therein.  The point is to note that the data that one collects, so-called
pristine data, are usually value- dependent and interpretive. Hence, the
means by which we align data to arrive at a given conclusion are
interpretive in nature.  Our conclusions therefore are as good as the
interpretive data-set we assembled.  It all goes to show that we are humans
and are engaged in performing human tasks.  Yet, what do we mean by humans?
It is some times said that persons from north of the Alps and their
derivatives likely cling to upper-class , white-male values. With the
onslaught of women entering into the educational world and dominance of
lower class folks, the white-male dominated valuation is up for grabs in
the derivative societies.  In the devolution of white male values to the
women values, perturbations arise, and the ensuing waves propagate to other
societies, may be.

Yes. Yogi might well have said that man may use his hands for eating.
Likewise, Santayana might have said stuff about history.  If we Yogiized
it, we might say, "You must strive to know history, for what you don't know
might have profound effects on you, unless it does not".  This would follow
from his profound teaching, "If there is a fork in the road, take it."

HG.

>Naw, I think it was Yoda.
>
>Nick Honerkamp
>
>At 04:56 PM 4/1/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>>Oooh, oooh, I think I know this one.
>>
>>"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." George Santayana
>>
>>Gavin Townsend (one who forgets much and is certainly doomed)
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "debra anderson" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 2:54 PM
>>Subject: [UTCSTAFF] Help with Quotation
>>
>>
>> > My daughter is trying to help a teacher in her school locate the author
>> of a
>> > quote.
>> > "If we do not study our history we are destined to repeat ourselves." This
>> > may not be the exact quote.  Does anyone know the author?
>> > Thanks in advance.
>> > Deb
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Debra C. Anderson
>> > Director
>> > Office for Students with Disabilities/College Access Program
>> > University of Tennessee Chattanooga