Historiography: Epistemology and Truth

Epistemology and Knowledge

• Epistemology is the study of how people know things.

Epistemological Ground for Historiography

• The talk frames history on epistemological ground, i.e., it focuses on how historians know and justify knowledge of the past.
• The phrase "epistemology" is defined as "how people know things".

History's Unique Approach to Truth

• The speaker argues that history works in a unique, histological way to approach truth.
• Truth in history is discussed in a manner that is distinct from other disciplines.
• Historians employ unique strategies to get at that truth.

Historians’ Practice (Incomplete Thought)

• The speaker intends to discuss what historians do as a kind of practice, but the thought ends mid-sentence ("as a kind").

Metaphors and Framing

• Epistemology is presented, in simple terms, as "how people know things" (a definitional/metaphorical aid).
• The idea of taking on "level ground" signals establishing an even, stable footing for epistemic discussion.

Implications and Context

• The talk sets up a discussion about how history constructs truth and the strategies used to uncover it.
• This invites consideration of the methods, evidence, interpretation, and potential biases involved in historical inquiry.
• The incomplete ending ("as a kind") suggests there will be further elaboration on the nature or category of historians’ work.