Many people believe that right and wrong are fixed…
““Many people believe that right and wrong are fixed absolutes. That is incorrect, they change over time. The job of the historian is primarily to find the historical truth, to look at what the sources say and present them, objectively and dispassionately. If historians were to stand in judgment on human folly, our work would seem to posterity like fossils – the remnants of the orthodoxy of their time.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Historians must seek objective truth, recognizing that moral judgments evolve over time.
In simple terms: History requires objective truth, not moral judgment.
Key Takeaway
Seek facts, avoid presentist moralizing.
Themes
history
objectivity
morality
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
explanatory
When to use this quote
- academic research
- public discourse
- teaching history
Key Concepts
historical methodology
ethical relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we guard against presentism?
- What role should moral judgment play in historical analysis?
A Different Perspective
Objectivity can be hard to achieve due to bias.