THE OTHER BISHOP BERKELEY ................. 16176$ $$FM 11-01-0614:02:41 PS GEAPi THE OTHER BISHOP BERKELEY An Exercise in Reenchantment (cid:2) Costica Bradatan FordhamUniversityPress ewNorkY (cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:4) ................. 16176$ $$FM 11-01-0614:02:41 PS GEAPiii To Cristina and Anastasia ................. 16176$ $$FM 11-01-0614:02:42 PS GEAPv Introduction (cid:7) of the past cannot, and should not, be pursued for the past(cid:146)s sake, but for satisfying our own current intellectual needs and interests. Since the past is already dead, is not anymore, we should not be vainly concerned with (cid:145)(cid:145)howitreallywas,(cid:146)(cid:146)butweshouldratherlookforwardandpursuehistorical researchonlyinsofarasindoingsowegainsomethingwecanuseforbetter dealing with the present or the future. An important consequence of this view isthat, if the resultsof aparticular historicalresearch cannotbe trans- latedintosomethinginterestingforus,thenwedonotinprinciplehaveany reason to pursue that research .further In other words, there is no such a thing as gratuitous historical research. What this position upholds has been expressed,,analogicallyasfollows: Theanthropologistisnotdoinghisjobifhemerelyofferstoteachushow tobickerwithhisfavouritetribe,howtobeinitiatedintotheirrituals,etc. Whatwewanttobetoldiswhetherthattribehasanythinginterestingto tellus(cid:151)interestingby our lights,answeringto our concerns,informative aboutwhat we knowtoexist.Anyanthropologistwhorejectedthisassign- mentonthegroundsthat(cid:30)lteringandparaphrasewoulddistortandbetray theintegrityofthetribe(cid:146)sculturewouldnolongerbeananthropologist,but asortofoccultist.eHis,afterall,workingfor us ,notfor them .,orty(RSch- neewind,andSkinner (cid:5)(cid:7)(cid:9)(cid:11) : (cid:4) (cid:150) (cid:8) ) As such, history is seen as the business of the present, whose pursuit must alwaysresult ina betterdealing withthe present(cid:151)andfuture(cid:151)statesof af- fairs. Historical research is, of course, to be encouraged because it supplies us with excellent means through which we can be more successful in our various undertakings. Someone who has (some) knowledge of the past is certainlyinabetterpositiontounderstandwhatisgoingon,andcan,ifnot foresee the future, at least say why certain future developments are more likely than others. Then, thanks to our knowledge of the past, we are able toarticulateourviewsonvarioussubjects.betterForexample,wecustom- arilyappealtohistoricalargumentsforsupportingourcurrentpositionsand undermining our rivals(cid:146) positions. Someone with historical knowledge has a broader perspective and can give relevant examples from the past; such a person can always (cid:30)nd illustrations in support of the various opinions she mighthave. Andthisisthecasewitheverydisciplinethathasknownhistoricaldevel- opments.Ifoneknowssuf(cid:30)cientlywellthe(cid:145)(cid:145)historicalbackground(cid:146)(cid:146)against which a certain,theoryor,viewor argument, appeared, then one is much better prepared to defend, or challenge, it than those who do not possess ................. 16176$ INTR 11-01-0614:02:56 PS GEAP9
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