![]() ![]() We have to extrapolate from individual experiences (many different peasants), and add in data from other sources (legal texts, environmental records, archeology, folklore, art, etc.), in order to plausibly re-enact what life was like for a peasant in general, and not just a particular individual. But notice what happens when we go from a very specific individual, such as Nelson, to a more general category of persons, such as medieval peasants. ![]() ![]() To understand what it was like to be Nelson on the deck of the Victory, or to be a medieval peasant, we have to understand the context and circumstances of a past environment, and how an individual might interact in that environment. Now, let’s scale the act of interpretation up beyond the individual level. Collingwood’s assertion that all history is the history of thought, and that historians must “rethink” past thoughts and understand the intention put into them. Please consider passing the newsletter along to anyone you think might be interested. Much thanks to everyone who has subscribed and read these first few posts, I’m very grateful for the initial reception. ![]()
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