Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 8, 2019 16:55:12 GMT 12
HENRY ARMSTRONG: THE PROBLEM OF “PRESENTISM”
In the 1860s, one of the legal penalties for rebellion against the Crown was forfeiture of land-assuming that those in rebellion actually “owned” the land which was to be forfeited, rather than merely occupying it by conquest and subjugation of others. This penalty was not confined to New Zealand, but was widely applied throughout the (then) British Empire. Today, such forfeitures are viewed in hindsight using today’s standards, as wrong and are therefore claimed to be justifiably open to reversal . Presentists use the term “confiscation” rather than forfeiture, to give such arguments more weight.
Modern-day academics are enthusiastic proponents of presentism, using this technique to essentially re-write or sanitise New Zealand history.
In a seminal essay on the subject, the late Professor Bill Oliver, a Waitangi Tribunal member, outlined why the use of presentism is wrong and essentially dishonest (See “Histories Power and Loss”). Oliver points out the fallacy of viewing past event from the perspective of what happened but should not have (today’s view), or what did not happen but should have? Clearly, these questions cannot be answered except via speculation - which of course, academic historians embrace with great enthusiasm.....
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2019/09/henry-armstrong-problem-of-presentism.html#more
In the 1860s, one of the legal penalties for rebellion against the Crown was forfeiture of land-assuming that those in rebellion actually “owned” the land which was to be forfeited, rather than merely occupying it by conquest and subjugation of others. This penalty was not confined to New Zealand, but was widely applied throughout the (then) British Empire. Today, such forfeitures are viewed in hindsight using today’s standards, as wrong and are therefore claimed to be justifiably open to reversal . Presentists use the term “confiscation” rather than forfeiture, to give such arguments more weight.
Modern-day academics are enthusiastic proponents of presentism, using this technique to essentially re-write or sanitise New Zealand history.
In a seminal essay on the subject, the late Professor Bill Oliver, a Waitangi Tribunal member, outlined why the use of presentism is wrong and essentially dishonest (See “Histories Power and Loss”). Oliver points out the fallacy of viewing past event from the perspective of what happened but should not have (today’s view), or what did not happen but should have? Clearly, these questions cannot be answered except via speculation - which of course, academic historians embrace with great enthusiasm.....
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2019/09/henry-armstrong-problem-of-presentism.html#more