AOK- History

-What shapes the views of a historian? (PERCEPTION) 
-Do historians look at facts emotionally?( EMOTION)
-Do historians piece together the past through reason? (REASON)
-Is language the most effective weapon of the historian? (LANGUAGE)

Evidence which recreates history for us, are often buried in a certain chronology and has been treated in a certain manner which also provides information about the piece of evidence. For example, by looking into our garbage, we can discover clues to the past. However, history is a process where we interpret the evidence, and present it in a certain way. It is a science and an art, because it includes the process of  searching evidence that supports a certain hypothesis, and is a skill which is creative, interpretive, and is part of the art of argument.

The factors that shape the views of the historian are important, because  people have different backgrounds, and the differences in their background causes different interpretations . Bias is subjective, because  we cannot judge objectively if we are being lenient towards one argument.

Although the opinions of a historian should not be affected by irrational emotions, historians do see facts emotionally. In fact, if we were presented with just the facts of an event, we may not be able to understand its importance: it is when historians interpret the facts for us, and recount the event with emotion that history seems to have a greater meaning. “Facts do not speak for themselves”- the facts alone do not present the past, but it is the historians, who are emotional beings, who present the past.

History, being a science, should be pieced together through reason. A good historian will use empathy as a tool to understand the motivations for decisions made in the past, analyze its expedience, and be able to examine the personalities of the decision makers, as well as their circumstances and other extraneous factors. It seems unlikely that all the history presented to us has gone through this thorough process with objectivity. It is also logical to say that the past may be pieced together to someone’s advantage, including the historians. This makes the history presented still logical, but maybe not as truthful or objective as people may perceive it to be.

Language is the medium with which a historian presents his/her interpretation. The significance of the language used is that it can evoke emotion or even shape a person’s perception. It is also important as a means to find out the truth, because it is when people and opinions debate upon facts, we are able to approach the truth.