History as a Basic Area of Knowledge in Regard to Present Events - Article Example

"That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow." History Can history be used as abasic area of knowledge in regard to present events? It is apparent that history is an imperative area of knowledge. As events, issues and situations tends to shift from what they seemed to be yesterday, many deliberations are articulated upon in the intent of drawing conclusions out of the same. Notably, this drives the argument that such happenings can only be well understood if the historical perspective of such happens are put into context of analysis formula. For this reason, history becomes critical in ascertaining for the knowledge needed in the interpretation of current happenings (Wendy and Susan 33). The importance of historical facts lies on the argument of whether it is possible to determine the meaningfulness of certain events in the past. The question of how to decide the events that are significantly significant generates the importance of understanding the impact of historical knowledge. Recurrence of events could be argued to carry the heavy weight in the effort to study history. For instance, young men from poor environs engaging in criminal activities today could elicit the need to study why such an occurrence happens. In the event, Renn 65 argues that past instances of such an occurrence are considered ideal in explaining the event. Specifically, if the behaviour is repeated severally, comparison of the current and past events is believed necessary as similarity and difference of the same is focused. For example, a hungry boy stealing food from neighbor’s house could be analysed in comparison with yester case of a hungry boy snatching a wallet and later going to a kiosk to buy food. In this regard, it can be concluded that hunger, and specifically poverty can be argued to be a factor contributing to increased instances of crime. In this regard, it is arguably correct to say that historical facts deepens and enhances human behavior (Jenkins 12). This is correct because for example, if it is discovered that poverty is one of the contributing factor of crime, mechanisms can be put in place to mitigate it. However, the accounts of such knowledge depend on the methods used to analyse both current and past events. For instance, the analysis of a current event would be considerably analysed when a past event is accurately focused. This means that the authenticity of the past event depends on accuracy in framing it (Nakou 91). Was it an eye witness or a vague assertion by a third party? Specifically, is the event a most reliable source for evidence? In another dimension, an event that was considered a critical fact in the 16th century would not add up in the 21st century. For instance, slavery was considered as a means of generating wealth. In fact, it was considered as an input to business. However, today, slavery is considered inhuman and unaccepted practice. In light of this, it is apparent that today’s knowledge could be discarded tomorrow. This assertion could be analysed in the sense that the historical accounts of slavery added knowledge of how it all entails and its impact to the society. Nevertheless, it can also be argued that slavery greatly benefited slave owners in the sense that they recorded massive profits compared to when they did not have slaves in their production line. On the other hand, those that sold slaves could also be analysed to benefit especially during famine where slaves were sold for food and other necessities. However, even with such facts, it is also evident that other historical perspective facts show the inhuman facts of slavery due to suffering of the slaves. It is also believed that historical events can help in making sense of the current events. For example, certain events that took place in the 18th century could be related to level of technology of that time. Presently, the same analysis can be used to explain events under the perspective of technological advancements. As technology advances, people tend to change their culture under the control of technology. For instance, in the 18th century, people heavily relied on electronic and print media to receive news and information. This was as a result of constraints of technology. Presently, people do not necessarily rely on print and electronic media to get information. With increased technology, people can easily get information by just a click of a mouse. Internet and social media has shaped the way people interact and conduct businesses. However, one would argue that historical events cannot be reliable source of knowledge because events are mostly shaped and influenced by social environment in which such events take place. Therefore, deriving knowledge from historical events cannot be accurate since events will always be influenced by social environment that also keeps on changing. Ethics “To what extent does moral knowledge affect the life of an individual in relation to other aspect of life?” Ethics is one of the main areas of knowledge in today’s world. In fact, ethics has been argued to be among the social aspects that give a distinction of human beings from other animals. As such, it is important to understand the essence of morality in human beings that gives a clear difference in concept morality. It is worth noting that ethics are more reliable social concepts because they shape and bring out the behavior of individuals in life (Dicker 4). Essentially, Ethics or moral behaviors depend on various social aspects of human beings. There are numerous types of Ethics that are essential in the social aspect of human beings such as religious ethics that entails the existence of God and what he terms good or bad and that which should be practiced by human beings. Similarly, there are duty ethics that entail what humans beings are expected to do in relation to carrying out their duties and obligations as would be expected (Cruz 12). In this regard, ethics could be argued as more reliable because it tends to shape the behavior of human beings in terms of good and bad or right and wrong. Conversely, religious knowledge could be termed as less reliable because it mainly deals with the importance and rationale of human life. Similarly, historical knowledge could be termed as less reliable because it specifically deals with information that has been recorded in the past (Seedhouse 81). Ethics can be relied on as a fundamental social aspect Apparently, it is argued that ethics play a huge role in ensuring that human beings attend to their duties and discharge their obligations as would be expected in the moral concept. For instance, in ethics we learn that human beings are expected to carry out the duty of queuing for health services without supervision from health workers. This is because a health facility is an institution where individuals go to seek medical attention. As such, every one attending the health facilitates has the right to receive medical attention in reference to the position they happen to be in a given queue (Hutchings 165). It is worth mentioning that when individual decide to carry out their moral duty in such institutions and those related to them, then the society became better and life is worth living. In fact, once duty ethics are adhered to by members of a particular society or culture then it could be affirmed that ethics could be relied upon as a fundamental moral aspect. Ethics cannot be relied on absolutely as a fundamental social aspect Never the less, according to Cruz 14, it is possible to come up with results that may differ from the current information. This is to mean that Ethics do not necessarily have to be as absolute fundamental aspect throughout. In Ethics, while some individuals endeavor to practice duty ethics at all cost, others do not understand the importance of practicing good morals in given situations. For instance, some individuals may decide to ‘cut in line’ in a health facility against the moral principles. This is because these individuals believe that they do not owe any body an explanation in relation to carrying out their duty or fulfilling their obligation of queuing for health facilities. It is argued that such individuals tends to feel more superior than the rest in the queue or better still insist on requiring urgent medical attendance as compared to other individual (Seedhouse 175). Philosophers associated to Ethics argue that it is important for individuals to carry out a self evaluation pertaining to what would transpire if everyone acted against Ethics on the situation. It is obvious that, there would be no ‘line to cut in and as such no morals would be upheld. Never the less, philosophers associated to religion argue that Ethics do not have a religious connections as the right and wrong cannot be determined absolutely and are only gauged according to different cultures (Dicker 163). Thus, it could be argued that Ethics as a moral aspect could only be determined with reference to the intentions in which an action has been carried out as opposed to the consequences that it might bring forth. Hence, reasons are stronger than feelings in Ethics of duty. Works cited: Wendy, Heydorn and Susan, Jesudason. Decoding Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma Themes, Skills and Assessment. New York: Cambridge Univ Pr 2013. Print. Renn, Jürgen. The globalization of knowledge in history: based on the 97th Dahlem Workshop. Berlin: Ed. Open Access, 2012. Print. Jenkins, Keith. Rethinking History. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print. Nakou, Eirēnē. Contemporary public debates over history education. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Pub., 2010. Print. Cruz, Joseph and Pollock, John. Contemporary Theories of Knowledge. Lanham, Md. [u.a.]: Rowman & Littlefield.1999.Print. Dicker, Georges. Kants Theory of Knowledge: An Analytical Introduction. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.2004. Print. Hutchings, Kimberly. Global Ethics: An Introduction. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity, 2010.Print. Seedhouse, David. Ethics: The Heart of Health Care. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell: Values Exchange, 2009. Print. Read More