Historical Facts and Social facts

Paper Summary:

This paper outlines the E. H. Carr's theory in his book, "The Historian and His Facts", which argues that that a historical fact can never be a hard fact that can be taken at face value because it is really just a reflection of the historian's thought process. The paper summarizes Carr's arguments, which support his theory, and cites the examples used by Carr, which add credibility to his views. The paper also reviews Carr's belief that hard historical facts can not exist independently and objectively of the historian because the view of the past is always colored by the present. Finally, the paper looks at how Durkheim's definition of social facts can both relate to and refute Carr's theory.

From the Paper:

"Carr presents several logical and highly persuasive arguments in support of his argument. For instance, he submits that our picture of Greece in the fifth century B.C. is largely based by the documentation and picture left behind by a select group of people in Athens and to that extent is not truly representative since very little was recorded of the history of the Spartan or Corinthian civilizations. Similarly, he questions the current day picture of the medieval man as deeply concerned with religion since the facts of medieval history have almost all been selected by people who were professionally occupied in the theory and practice of religion and who, therefore, may have focused on recording all facts relating to it."

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