Historical Methodology/Credibility

What is History and why does it matter?

CredibilityWhen you're thinking critically, you're evaluating every claim against what you already know to see if it seems plausible or implausible.-For the purposes of this class, there are three methods or systems by which a claim is deemed creditable:

1. Philosophically 2. Scientifically3. Historically

Scientific Credibility• -Science deals almost exclusively with providing explications

concerning the physical world, that is, providing a systematic empirical account of the way in which the universe operates.

Two philosophical commitments of science: 1. Empiricism- knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience.2. Naturalism- idea or belief that only natural laws and

forces operate in the world.

Philosophy: • -Remember that Philosophy is a search

for a fundamental understanding of the world through the process of critical thinking and critical discussion. • -Subsequently, the primary method by

which philosophical claims are deemed “reasonable” or “justifiable” is heavily reliant upon logic and how well those claims undergo logical scrutiny.• -Since philosophy is not limited to a strict

empiricism, the scope of philosophy is much larger than that of science.

History• History is a combination of three epistemological aspects: 1. The occurrence of historical events (or historical facts)- these are

events which are verifiable or documented and are commonly accepted by professional historians. 2. The use of narrative (Theory)- narrative in history function the same way that theory does in science, that is, narrative is what connects historical facts and explains historical causation. 3. Naturalism- history is also committed to a form of naturalism in that historical explanation must fall within the realm of known possibility. Historical ideas must, in some sense, be testable.

Problem of sources/credibility • The problem nowadays with

sources/credibility is the fact that it has become increasingly difficult to make the distinction between a creditable source and a non-creditable one. • Since information is so readily available,

and since dissenting (or opposing) views are abundant, it is often times difficult or impossible to tell which view-point is backed by credible evidence or authorities.

Evaluating a claims credibility

• Whether evidence is offered to support the claim• Whether there are any obvious inaccuracies• Whether the claim is an observation or an inferred conclusion

Expert Opinion • Typically, when we are unsure about the

validity of a particular claim, our want to legitimate our own view of a particular claim, it is necessary to appeal to experts. • An expert is someone who knows more

than most people about a specific subject. Remember that Expert opinion doesn't guarantee truth, but it is usually a reliable guide to it.

Expert Opinion • If you're having trouble deciding if someone

is truly an expert, here are some things to look for:

• Education from reputable institutions or in relevant programs• Experience—the more in the field, the better• Professional accomplishments that are directly relevant• Reputation among peers

-Expertise loses credibility when the expert

• Makes a claim outside their area of expertise (remember the fallacy of unqualified authority)• Makes simple factual errors or mistakes in logic or reasoning• Seems to be speaking from an emotional orientation• Has a clear conflict of interests (e.g., being paid to present a specific view)• Doesn't provide sufficient support for tenuous claims• Holds a view in direct opposition to most other experts in the same subject area

What is the purpose of History? • 1. First, historians are interested in providing conceptualizations and

factual descriptions of events and circumstances in the past.• 2. Second, historians often want to answer “why” questions: “Why

did this event occur? What were the conditions and forces that brought it about?”• 3. Third, and related to the previous point, historians are sometimes

interested in answering a “how” question.• 4. Fourth, often historians are interested in piecing together the

human meanings and intentions that underlie a given complex series of historical actions.