Historical Controversies and Objectivities
There are a large number of controversies on one historical event. These controversies take place over several historical interpretations. Then, why do historical controversies take place?
Before discussing this issue, the definition of history should be revealed. In his book, WHAT IS HISTORY?, E. H. Carr quotes Professor Barraclough's words that 'the history we read, though based on facts, is, strictly speaking, not factual at all but a series of accepted judgments (14).' According to Carr, the facts can be divided into two kinds. One is basic facts, and another one is historical facts. Basic facts are, so to say, what we regard 'facts' and they are the same for all historians and are the base of history, but not history itself (11). However, what make up histories are historical facts which historians pick up from a collection of basic facts based on their own interpretation. This means the activity of writing history itself is so subjective that so-called generalized histories are merely collections of certain historians' subjectivities.
Generally speaking, it is not until evaluated by others that objects are shared by people. In order that objects are created, contending subjective ideas must be presented. Historical controversies are, that is to say, crash of historians' subjectivities, and they should create objectivities.
Among Asian countries, especially Japan, China and South Korea, there are some issues over history textboo
Historical Controversies and Objectivities
There are a large number of controversies on one historical event. These controversies take place over several historical interpretations. Then, why do historical controversies take place?
Before discussing this issue, the definition of history should be revealed. In his book, WHAT IS HISTORY?, E. H. Carr quotes Professor Barraclough's words that 'the history we read, though based on facts, is, strictly speaking, not factual at all but a series of accep...