Hisory is Always on the Move

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““History is always on the move, slowly eroding today’s orthodoxy and making space for yesterday’s heresy” Discuss the extent to which the claim applies to history and at least one other area of knowledge.”

History is the story of mankind, therefore, because of its relevance; it is pursued with great interest by a large number of people. When a historian examines history, they are able to draw upon past knowledge to aid them in their observations. Similarly, in psychology, the study of mental functions and behavior, one is able to consider past ideas and ideals to guide their train of thought. While it is correct to argue that the fields of History and Psychology are always moving, one must also consider that both the Historian and the psychologist are both subjects of their contemporary world, and thus, share the perspectives of their current humanity. Because of this, while the fields of history and psychology are always expanding, they are also growing from within, and are constantly accepting concepts or ideas that were once thought of as unacceptable. This expansion is caused by several reasons including political events, current social ideals and economic trends. These ideas influence our paradigms, which allow for shifts that lead to acceptance of past events and change our perceptions on knowledge.  While it can be argued that history and psychology are always on the move, a better argument would be that history and psychology are always expanding from within.

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        Historians are influenced by the world around them. Their world’s interest plays the largest part in what they study. For example, Laurence Lafore argues in his introduction to his The Long Fuse: an Interpretation of the Origins of World War I, that starting in 1945, following the end of World War II, a greater interest in German history sparked research on Germany’s past. And it was at this time, due to the increase in study, that a lot of new evidence was revealed on World War I. In this example World War II, provides itself as a event, later proven ...

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