#Historical Knowledge

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of the Past

The philosophy of the past explores the nature of historical reality, the significance of memory, and the interpretation of historical events. It delves into how we understand, represent, and learn from what has already happened. This field intersects with metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and historiography, offering a comprehensive approach to how the past shapes our present and informs our future.

Key Themes in the Philosophy of the Past

Nature of Time and Temporal Ontology:

Philosophers investigate the metaphysical nature of the past, questioning whether it exists in the same way as the present and future, or if it is merely a construct of our perception.

Debates center around concepts such as presentism (only the present exists) versus eternalism (the past, present, and future all equally exist).

Historical Knowledge and Epistemology:

This theme addresses how we come to know and understand historical facts and events. It includes discussions on the reliability of sources, the role of historical evidence, and the methods of historiography.

Philosophers examine the limits of historical knowledge and the challenges of objectivity in historical interpretation.

Memory and Personal Identity:

The relationship between memory and identity is a crucial aspect of the philosophy of the past. Philosophers explore how memories shape our sense of self and continuity over time.

Questions arise about the reliability of memory and the distinction between personal memories and collective memories.

Historiography and the Interpretation of History:

This theme involves the study of how history is written and interpreted. Philosophers analyze different historiographical methods and the philosophical assumptions behind them.

The debate between historical realism (history as an accurate representation of the past) and historical constructivism (history as a narrative constructed by historians) is central to this discussion.

Ethics of Remembering and Forgetting:

Philosophers explore the moral implications of how societies remember and forget past events. This includes the ethics of commemoration, historical justice, and the responsibilities of historical actors.

The concept of historical amnesia and the politics of memory are also examined.

Impact of the Past on the Present and Future:

The influence of historical events on current and future conditions is a significant area of inquiry. Philosophers investigate how understanding the past can inform present decisions and future planning.

The idea of historical determinism versus the possibility of changing trajectories based on past lessons is explored.

Philosophical Reflections on Specific Historical Events:

Philosophers often reflect on particular historical events to draw broader philosophical conclusions. This includes examining the causes and consequences of wars, revolutions, and social movements.

The interpretation of key historical figures and their impact on philosophy and society is also a common theme.

Narrative and the Construction of History:

The role of narrative in shaping our understanding of the past is a critical aspect. Philosophers analyze how storytelling influences historical consciousness and the representation of events.

The tension between factual accuracy and narrative coherence is a central concern.

The philosophy of the past provides a rich framework for understanding how historical events, memory, and historiography shape human experience. By examining the nature of time, the reliability of historical knowledge, and the ethical implications of remembering and forgetting, this field offers profound insights into the ways in which the past influences our present and future. It encourages a reflective approach to history, emphasizing the importance of critical engagement with our collective and individual memories.

[darkandstormydolls]

PSA to all historical fiction/fantasy writers:

A SEAMSTRESS, in a historical sense, is someone whose job is sewing. Just sewing. The main skill involved here is going to be putting the needle into an out of the fabric. They’re usually considered unskilled workers, because everyone can sew, right? (Note: yes, just about everyone could sew historically. And I mean everyone.) They’re usually going to be making either clothes that aren’t fitted (like shirts or shifts or petticoats) or things more along the lines of linens (bedsheets, handkerchiefs, napkins, ect.). Now, a decent number of people would make these things at home, especially in more rural areas, since they don’t take a ton of practice, but they’re also often available ready-made so it’s not an uncommon job. Nowadays it just means someone whose job is to sew things in general, but this was not the case historically. Calling a dressmaker a seamstress would be like asking a portrait painter to paint your house

A DRESSMAKER (or mantua maker before the early 1800s) makes clothing though the skill of draping (which is when you don’t use as many patterns and more drape the fabric over the person’s body to fit it and pin from there (although they did start using more patterns in the early 19th century). They’re usually going to work exclusively for women, since menswear is rarely made through this method (could be different in a fantasy world though). Sometimes you also see them called “gown makers”, especially if they were men (like tailors advertising that that could do both. Mantua-maker was a very feminized term, like seamstress. You wouldn’t really call a man that historically). This is a pretty new trade; it only really sprung up in the later 1600s, when the mantua dress came into fashion (hence the name).

TAILORS make clothing by using the method of patterning: they take measurements and use those measurements to draw out a 2D pattern that is then sewed up into the 3D item of clothing (unlike the dressmakers, who drape the item as a 3D piece of clothing originally). They usually did menswear, but also plenty of pieces of womenswear, especially things made similarly to menswear: riding habits, overcoats, the like. Before the dressmaking trade split off (for very interesting reason I suggest looking into. Basically new fashion required new methods that tailors thought were beneath them), tailors made everyone’s clothes. And also it was not uncommon for them to alter clothes (dressmakers did this too). Staymakers are a sort of subsect of tailors that made corsets or stays (which are made with tailoring methods but most of the time in urban areas a staymaker could find enough work so just do stays, although most tailors could and would make them).

Tailors and dressmakers are both skilled workers. Those aren’t skills that most people could do at home. Fitted things like dresses and jackets and things would probably be made professionally and for the wearer even by the working class (with some exceptions of course). Making all clothes at home didn’t really become a thing until the mid Victorian era.

And then of course there are other trades that involve the skill of sewing, such as millinery (not just hats, historically they did all kinds of women’s accessories), trimming for hatmaking (putting on the hat and and binding and things), glovemaking (self explanatory) and such.

TLDR: seamstress, dressmaker, and tailor are three very different jobs with different skills and levels of prestige. Don’t use them interchangeably and for the love of all that is holy please don’t call someone a seamstress when they’re a dressmaker

[geopolicraticus]

TODAY IN PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY

Paul Oskar Kristeller and the Status of Historical Knowledge 

Wednesday 22 May 2024 is the 119th anniversary of the birth of Paul Oskar Kristeller (22 May 1905 – 07 June 1999), who was born in Berlin on this date in 1905.

Kristeller was an historian of renown of renaissance thought, which gives his reflections on the philosophy of history a particular edge. Being himself an historian, we should not be surprised to find Kristeller holds that the philosopher of history should draw from the work of historians, but he also holds that historians take their guiding ideas from philosophers.

Quora:              https://philosophyofhistory.quora.com/ 

Discord:           https://discord.gg/r3dudQvGxD

Links:               https://jnnielsen.carrd.co/

Newsletter:      http://eepurl.com/dMh0_-/

Text post:         https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/paul-oskar-kristeller-and-the-status      

Video:               https://youtu.be/Zn4SjntNsSE     

Podcast:           https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/YD1PtCLROJb

[gildedgoldenamelia]

In every case that is like John Smith vs. The United States of America, Alfred actually is legally obligated to show up for the court dates

[tarantula-hawk-wasp]

We need people getting those ‘unemployable’ degrees bc we need people writing esoteric fanfic using that niche knowledge.

[itsahotminuteinbetween]

some gitm sona doodles (because we wanted to practice drawing them and because we need to cope)

gitm is of course by @venomous-qwille (feel free to ignore this sorry!)

closeups under the cut:

[reality-detective]

Sovereignty, Admiralty Law (law of the water), Black's Law Dictionary. 🤔

[flowery-laser-blasts]

Astérix et Obélix X Kim Possible

Just watched Astérix et Obélix: Le Combat des chefs on Netflix and I can't praise this movie enough! The jokes were amazing, the color palette and lighting were gorgeous, the perfect blend of cartoony and drama. This story is a really good introduction to people who are new to this franchise, showing Astérix and Obélix and their friendship as children, the origin of Obélix' power (as far as I can recall, it hasn't really been shown before, only mentioned!) and this series is actually based on the original 1966 comic with the same name! Style wise, I think they took inspiration from the spider-verse movies, especially the magic potion from Panoramix reminded me of the glitches and warping that happens in those movies. I am a bit confused that this turned out to be a Netflix series whilst it easily could've been a full on movie!

Also my fave: Apothika. I love her. She's everything.

I can't believe they actually made a historically accurate 'goth' joke. For those who don't know, here's a short video on it:

[chemsexholmes]

one thing worth noting in the conversation about whether or not college students have "become stupid" is that the attitude of the general public toward academic study has largely shifted in the past few decades away from education as a moral betterment (and also, implicitly, a status symbol), toward totally embracing the idea that education is the Thing that gets you Jobs. which of course is pushed by policymakers and academic institutions, because how else do you sell academic funding in a capitalistic society? but has created an ethos about education as something you have to drag your feet through in order to get your degree, which makes students feel more inclined to use LLM like chatgpt to complete their work because they fundamentally aren't connecting with the material.

[ninjiniz]

Hbo Chernobyl fandom: It's important to make it clear that we ship the show's characters, and not the historical ones. We're aware that doing so would sully the memory of the men who tried to play down the 1986 disaster.

Meanwhile, Hamilton fandom: WAIT, JEFFERSON WAS WHITE?!

[camthecatchameleon]

spreading "weird almost but not quite humanoid god designs" propoganda because i'm tired of seeing gods that just look like a human in cosplay

i am open to suggestions actually i am hungry for them. i have visions but i am open to suggestions.

[bad-system]

before you speculate on the next KCD sequel don't forget to read the entire codexes of both games! that is the bare minimum btw

[rabbitinthemeadow]

Alas, the cradle of my heart waits elsewhere || Four

[gildedgoldenamelia]

In a public knowledge AU (humans have always known about personifications) what conspiracies do you think exist?

Like, what are the ones that have Reddit pages, documenters, and books written about them

[kiyomitakada]

okay fuck it i went to a leonardo da vinci exhibit today and now i have a leonardo da vinci death note AU in my head because i am a parody of myself so you can fucking have it i guess what do i even do with this

light yagami: young genius polymath who is good at literally everything

unfortunately for him he is a foreigner in italia (his family immigrated) so the government is not letting him anywhere near their weaponry projects. instead he does art. yes light yagami painted the mona lisa no i do not take criticism i’m in too deep

his portraits are predictably amazing. smash hit. soon aristocracy from all over italy is contacting him to draw them and their mother. this means he doesnt even have time in the day to draw giant fuckoff warship designs anymore. what point is there to life, he sulks.

eventually he accepts a commission from one kyosuke higuchi! we’re italianizing him because i really don’t think this AU works otherwise but let’s call him higuchi anyway. higuchi is a fifty-something duke of something or other who has recently married one misa amane who is twenty-something (the same age as light). misa is the subject of the portrait because higuchi just loves his darling wife so much (read: they had a shotgun wedding and higuchi needs to keep up appearances)

light is like wow someone who isn’t white it’s been like five years. i kind of feel bad for her, this situation is very suspicious. hello miss amane if you’ll just sit down over there while i get my brushes

misa (seeing the first person who has been even remotely sympathetic to her absolutely horrific life, noticing he hasn’t tried to make any advances on her at all [this is a good thing]): I AM DRASTICALLY IN LOVE WITH YOU.

light: what

misa’s plan of seducing light predictably fails because he’s light, so she explains she has to get the fuck away from higuchi somehow

light is like okay well i am sorry to hear that but what does this have to do with me.

misa, tearing up: im a damsel in distress! also i can get you information about his court

light: whats his job

misa: financial advisor

light: oh fuck yes okay

so light’s plan is now to worm into the yotsuba court to get funding and hopefully sway them enough to let him pitch his cool weaponry ideas so he can Change The World. he does need income in general too (both for himself and his family; expected lifespan was way shorter then obviously).

misa’s plan is to kill higuchi somehow which will be much easier with light as backup she thinks

so. light packs up and moves to the yotsuba court which is thrilled to have THE light yagami portrait artist (i do more than portraits…) in their employ

oh yeah, misa mentions, the prince of the yotsuba court is kind of… weird

light: you could have told me this before

misa: ehe. dont worry about it!! it’s just um. he had a weird personality shift a few years ago? and now he refuses to wear royal attire. he always dresses like a peasant.

light: well it’s not like i’m going to be there to judge him on fashion am i.

THAT’S RIGHT. SIKE THIS IS AN ISEKAI NOW. yes L does remember light killing him <3 he (L) woke up in fifteenth century renaissance italy in a twenty-something-year-old body immediately after the heart attack. by some miracle he already knew italian.

so everything is going swell until one day light walks into his workshop to find the prince flipping through his notebook

light, sleep deprived: hey what the fu—i mean. uh. good morning your highness

there’s no need for that formality. call me L.

(…but your name doesn’t start with an L?) thank you, your highness L. um. sorry i know my handwriting’s messy.

on the contrary i find it completely readable, as long as one reads backwards and caesar shifts it three letters forward.

(oh SHIT he’s onto me) haha what are you talking about?

in fact i think this mechanical dragonfly contraption is rather ingenious.

oh aha that’s not important, just a passing fancy honestly

[ignoring him] if only you had some better way of providing torque, because as it stands the spring engine is extremely poorly designed.

what the fuck did you just say to me

[they end up physically fighting over the notebook because of course they do. meet cute!]

some more details:

ryuk is the patron light eventually gets after being in higuchi’s court for a bit

rem is higuchi’s personal assistant, who was disowned by her own royal-blooded family because her family sucks. she hates her job. if it weren’t for misa she’d probably be on the other side of the country by now

i don’t know where the wammy kids are. they’re definitely competing to be the heir to L’s throne but also they’re not related because there is no way that all the wammy kids (the whole orphanage of wammy kids) could have come from the same person. maybe some kind of insufferably high collar royal boarding school? did they even have those? help me

kiyomi and teru are both advisors in other courts (which are extremely corrupt, light seethes, in his perfect world there wont be any of those anymore) (you work for a court light) (thats different)

okay i’m done for today. you never know about tomorrow though. /threat.

[ @deathnotetober day 12: isekai ]

[communistkenobi]

my brother gave this to me for christmas :)