Walt Hampton
2014-01-10 19:51:21 UTC
History is the record of what men do. Scientific
discoveries and technological applications of them
are often events of historical importance, but do
not affect our understanding of the historical
process since they shed no light on the behavior
of men in civilized societies.
For example, the recent use of atomic fission to
produce a more powerful explosive has no significance
for a philosophy of history. Like the many changes in
the technology of war that have occurred throughout
history, this one will call for changes in tactics and
strategy, alters to some extent the balance of power
in the world, and may well occasion the fall and
extinction of a world power so fat-headed that it
does not understand the importance of technological
superiority in warfare. But all this is merely
history repeating itself.
It is true that the improved weapons set bands of
addle-pated neurotics throughout the country shrieking
as wildly as a tribe of banshees out on a week-end spree;
but that is merely another instance of the rather
puzzling phenomenon of mass hysteria.
It is also true that Communist agents have been scurrying
about the country to brandish the phrase "nuclear holocaust"
as a kind of up-to-date Jack-o'-Lantern to scare children.
But while it is the historian's task to understand the
International Conspiracy in the light of such partial
precedents as are available, the new weapon will not help
him in that. He will merely marvel that a large part of
our population is not only ignorant of history in general,
but evidently has not read even the Old Testament, from
which it would have learned that atomic bombs, as
instruments of extermination, are much less efficient
than a tribe of Israelites armed with the simplest weapons
(see Joshua vi. 20 *et passim*).
As an exception to the general rule, however, our (20th)
century has brought one new area of knowledge in the natural
sciences that must profoundly affect our understanding of
history both past and present-- that is as relevant to the
rise and fall of the Mitanni and the Hittites as it is to
our future. Distressingly enough, the new science of genetics
raises for the historian many more questions than it answers,
but it discloses the existence of a force that must be
taken into account in any philosophy of history.
Visit Us At www.soaringeaglesgallery.com or www.zundelsite.org
discoveries and technological applications of them
are often events of historical importance, but do
not affect our understanding of the historical
process since they shed no light on the behavior
of men in civilized societies.
For example, the recent use of atomic fission to
produce a more powerful explosive has no significance
for a philosophy of history. Like the many changes in
the technology of war that have occurred throughout
history, this one will call for changes in tactics and
strategy, alters to some extent the balance of power
in the world, and may well occasion the fall and
extinction of a world power so fat-headed that it
does not understand the importance of technological
superiority in warfare. But all this is merely
history repeating itself.
It is true that the improved weapons set bands of
addle-pated neurotics throughout the country shrieking
as wildly as a tribe of banshees out on a week-end spree;
but that is merely another instance of the rather
puzzling phenomenon of mass hysteria.
It is also true that Communist agents have been scurrying
about the country to brandish the phrase "nuclear holocaust"
as a kind of up-to-date Jack-o'-Lantern to scare children.
But while it is the historian's task to understand the
International Conspiracy in the light of such partial
precedents as are available, the new weapon will not help
him in that. He will merely marvel that a large part of
our population is not only ignorant of history in general,
but evidently has not read even the Old Testament, from
which it would have learned that atomic bombs, as
instruments of extermination, are much less efficient
than a tribe of Israelites armed with the simplest weapons
(see Joshua vi. 20 *et passim*).
As an exception to the general rule, however, our (20th)
century has brought one new area of knowledge in the natural
sciences that must profoundly affect our understanding of
history both past and present-- that is as relevant to the
rise and fall of the Mitanni and the Hittites as it is to
our future. Distressingly enough, the new science of genetics
raises for the historian many more questions than it answers,
but it discloses the existence of a force that must be
taken into account in any philosophy of history.
Visit Us At www.soaringeaglesgallery.com or www.zundelsite.org