is an understanding of the human history of ideas and knowledge is beneficial to the operations and functions of modern day society, or instead only direct experiance matters?
2007-10-23 12:42:55 · 4 answers · asked by Olive 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
If you don't know what came before how can you improve upon it or avoid making similar mistakes? History is others direct experience handed down to show us what came before. Learn it or ignore it, history will be there.
2007-10-23 13:03:39 · answer #1 · answered by Elfie 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Olive,
There is a vast difference between knowledge and wisdom. Possessing knowledge of the past or the present matters little unless a person has the wisdom to use it properly.
Experience matters little if you cannot correlate lessons learned with emerging social patterns of the present.
It is axiomatic that the only constant is change. Therefore, being able to balance knowledge of the past with acquiring new knowledge in the present is required to make wise choices.
Wisdom comes from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions.
2007-10-23 14:04:27 · answer #2 · answered by angelthe5th 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Eric, but I add that if you don't have background on what has been done in the past you may waste your time "reinventing the wheel". (i.e. you may spend your whole life trying to discover or do something that has already been done)
2007-10-23 12:53:38 · answer #3 · answered by Dave 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you do not know history, you are forced to make the same mistakes.
2007-10-23 12:47:39 · answer #4 · answered by Eric 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋