What is the purpose of history?

Question

Can people sometimes stray from this purpose and use history in ways to benefit themselves?

Answer 1

history is interesting, its a way to see how far our world has come, plus havent you ever heard that saying about if history isnt remembered it will repeat itself or something? history is a benefit.  

Answer 2

"Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it."

George Santayana

Modern historians, as least those who behave ethically, seek to discover the hidden truths of the past. Knowing the mistakes of the past can help us avoid them in the future. Sound idealistic? It is, but so what?

Answer 3

The purpose of history is to keep everything from happening at once.

Or--wait--is that the purpose of Time?

Answer 4

It helps us understand 'why we are the way we are today'.

To understand today, you must understand yesterday.

Answer 5

"Those who do know their history are condemned to repeat it"

Those who don't study history tend to be the ones who often repeat the same mistakes as the previous generation(s). And to move on as a society, we have to learn what our previous generations did wrong and improve on it, so in that way we can avoid further conflict. Also in debates, knowing history about anything can help you. Especially in Politics.  

Answer 6

Second question first...yes, people can, and have used history for their own purposes. Sad, but true.

First question....the purpose of history is to record the doings of men. That we can learn from it, that's a bonus. It allows us to place ourselves into a time-line, to trace where attitudes and customs came from...to connect with the past. That's my own conclusion....others have their own opinions also.

Take a look at the site below...it's really interesting...different quotes about what history is, what the purpose of history is...and all different, yet all relevant.

Answer 7

History is either:

'the process by which we make the past relevant to the present'

or

'a set of lies agreed upon'

History at its core is meant to inform us of the past; what we do with the information is of course another matter.  The interpretation of facts for your own purpose was used by Hitler and Churchill; Alexander the Great and Ghandi; the 'black athena' series and the KKK.  Think of the latest supreme court decisions, each judge used history for their own purpose- to back their own argument.