In the more recently disclosed field of history in the ancient Near East, however, there has been no such sense of responsibility displayed by historians either in Europe or America.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
We cannot leave history entirely to nonclinical observers and to professional historians.
One thing I've learned over these last 30 or 40 years is that people make history. There's no fait accompli to any of this.
The historical profession is nowhere famous for its tolerance, but there are not many countries where historians can expect to pay for their opinions with penal servitude or the firing squad.
The duty of a historian is simply to understand and then convey that understanding, no more than that.
The historian is, by definition, absolutely incapable of observing the facts which he examines.
We live in an era with no historical precedents. History is no longer useful as a tool in helping us understand current changes.
People who make history know nothing about history. You can see that in the sort of history they make.
No political event can be judged outside of the era and the circumstances in which it took place.
We are not merely historians but also and always citizens.
The first qualification for a historian is to have no ability to invent.