HOW DOES THID APPLY TO THE STUDY OF HISTORY?
2007-09-08 06:36:05 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The idea is that people keep making the same mistakes (or, if not mistakes, doing the same things). For example, the same missteps keep leading to wars; fashions are in style, go out of style...and then come back in; people swear after a bad experience they will never drink again, but do. It is only by studying history that we come to see this.
While certain events throughout history have been strikingly similar, the idea that history repeats itself is questionable. The causes of World War I and World War II, for example, were different (the wars were really one war, with a 20 year break to "grow" more troops).
The historian Daniel Boorstein wrote "History does not repeat itself...but it rhymes all the time." He may have been playing a game of semantics, but I agree with his sentiments. The direct causes and effects of historical events are never exactly the same. Still, certain themes are constant (good/evil, greed, ignorance, arrogance, progress, etc.), and we seem to repeat the same mistakes...but under differing circumstances.
Whatever the case may be, many people believe we humans refuse to learn the lessons of the past. According to George Hegel, "The one thing history undoubtedly teaches us is that people have never learned anything from History."
EDIT: I gave you the same answer on the question you posted in the "History" section...sorry 'bout that...
2007-09-08 07:19:00 · answer #1 · answered by epublius76 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they choose to, people can learn a lot about the mistakes of those who came before. If they don't, they will make the same mistakes as these people. When Napolean invaded Russia, he made the mistake of getting too deep inside the country when winter came. It gets pretty cold there in the winter, and he suffered troop losses. This lesson was lost on Hitler, who also invaded Russia during World War II and lost troops who were stuck in Russia when the winter came.
2007-09-08 23:35:38 · answer #2 · answered by VeggieTart -- Let's Go Caps! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you do not look at the failures and consequences of your actions, human nature dictates you will do it again every time trying to get it right, since you surely do not remember what you did wrong.
Take a goldfish for example: It has a memory of 2 seconds( or 3). If it gets near the top of the water, it will be shocked. It reaches the top, gets shocked, swims back down. In 3 seconds, it forgets and goes back up again. It will keep doing this until it is dead ( even though the first shock should've killed it)
2007-09-08 13:45:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not necessarily apply to ones own experiences or mistakes, but rather to the lessons of history. An example of this is those today who preach appeasement and tolerance with regard to Radical Islamists who desire to convert the entire world to their way of thinking or eliminate them. These people did not learn from the lessons of World War 2 where Hitler was allowed to continue his attempt at world domination far too long without taking action.
2007-09-08 13:49:48 · answer #4 · answered by Just wonderin' 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because you can learn from other peoples mistakes and apply that towards not making more mistakes. If you dont remember how it turned out for everybody else, then what is to stop you from having the same result?
2007-09-08 13:45:32 · answer #5 · answered by HappyBunny 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Shows the importance of teaching and learning history and from that, try not to make the same mistakes as those who have gone before us.
2007-09-08 13:47:33 · answer #6 · answered by anigma 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means if you don't pay attention to the stupid mistakes you have made in the past and learn from them, then you are bound to make the same stupid mistakes...it would be like electing Bush for a 3rd term or something.
2007-09-08 14:08:07 · answer #7 · answered by Prisoner of Grace 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't. It's a pearl of wisdom, meaning that if you ignore the lessons of your experiences, you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over. If you think about it, you probably know a lot of people who fit that description.
2007-09-08 13:45:01 · answer #8 · answered by Sands 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those who forget the past, forget their mistakes, and they will make them again!..
EDIT-It applies to history, in that as many wars man has been involved in, he has not learned, so he keeps doing it, again and again, and they always forget!..And more wars, because he doesn't learn!.
2007-09-08 13:48:30 · answer #9 · answered by Dragon'sFire 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
those who dont learn from their mistakes or mis deeds will definately repeat them
over and over
2007-09-08 13:43:58 · answer #10 · answered by caretaker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋