Readings in the Philippine History (Module 1 The Study of History Using Disciplinary, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Approaches)

Past Actuality

Refers to the absolute totality of every event that has ever occurred.

History

An academic social science discipline, is a selective systematic reconstruction of the past.

Past Actuality Vs History

The past serves as the objective material, but it is fundamentally unrecoverable in its entirety.

Human-Centric Constraint

History is restricted to the “past world of human affairs.”

Human-Centric Constraints does not include

Natural Phenomena (Eathquakes, volcanic eruptions, or the evolution of Flora/plant evolution) unless they directly interact w/ or alter human society.

Charles Beard’s Operational Definition of History

“All that has been done, said, felt and through by human beings on this planet since humanity began its long career.”

The object of Historical Study (Conkin & Stromberg)

Human beings uniquely qualify as the exclusive object of historical inquiry, as non-human elements like rocks, plants, and dogs do not possess conscious historical agency.

The Criterion of Societal Significance (Mandelbaum)

Rejects the idea that history is about all aspects of human past. But History is meant so highlight human events with societal significance within the societal context and implications.

History (science definition)

History is classified as a science because it is a body of knowledge methodically arrived at through rigid historical inquiry.

History (Humanities definition)

Wilhelm Dilthey separated the academic world into two distinct methodological camps.

History Geisteswissenschaften (Human Sciences / History)

Scientific Method

Does not make use of the traditional natural scientific method.

Objectivity Nature

Deeply personal, subjective, and value-laden; requires human empathy (Verstehen).

Replicability

Unrepeatable. It is completely impossible to duplicate the exact human circumstances of a past event.

Primary Objective

Ideographic: Not interested in the discovery of universal, unchanging laws.

History Naturwissenschaften (Natural Sciences)

Scientific Method

Makes explicit, systematic use of the scientific method.

Objectivity Nature

Strictly impersonal, value-free, and objective.

Replicability

 Relies heavily on direct experience or experimental repetition in controlled environments.

Primary Objective

nomothetic: Explicitly driven by the discovery of universal, predictive laws.

Historical Method

Defined as the process of critically examining and Analyzing the Records and Survivals of the past.”

The investigative Phase of history

Historiography

Defined as “the imaginative reconstruction derived by that process.”

It is interpretive, based on processed data

The 4 Sequential Steps of the Historical Method

1. Selection of a Topic: Defining the scope, temporal boundaries, and research questions.

2. Identifying, Locating, and Gathering Sources: Scanning archives, libraries, and physical artifacts.

3. Source Criticism: Evaluating the validity of the collected data.

4. Analysis and Synthesis: Blending proven facts into a logical narrative.

Historical Criticism (External Criticism)

Physical Authenticity

-Examines Paper, ink, typography

-Detects anachronisms & forgeries

-Looks “outside” the text

Deals strictly with the physical item itself, to determine authenticity.

Historical Criticism (Internal Criticism)

-Analyzes true meaning of the text

-Evaluates literal vs. real intent

-Looks “inside” and cross-references

Attempts to validate evidence by deterring if the author was honest and unbiased

Primary Sources

Eyewitness accounts that offer first-hand, direct evidence of an event.

Examples of Primary sources

Photographs, legal documents, diaries, nd immediate administrative records.

Secondary Sources

Non-eyewitness accounts that do not provide first-hand evidence. Not contemporaneous, created long after. Reply on primary sources for synthesis.

Secondary Sources examples

Textbooks, modern biographies, and journal articles

Theoretical orientation

An idea that uses statements and claims along with real observations and data to form a theory.

Theory vs. Philosophy (Alex Callinicos)

Theories are empirical (evidence based) and testable against facts. Philosophies of history are speculative and non-empirical.

The Multifaceted Role of Philosophy in History

Aims to discover and give overarching meaning to the whole history of human activity.