1. Some key points: • History seeks to study and explain the significant events of the past on the basis of currently existing evidence • The study of History can be justified on the grounds that it contributes to our sense of identity, is a defence against propaganda, and enriches our understanding of human nature • History is based on primary sources, but since they are selective they cannot always be taken at face value • In seeking to explain the past the historian has the benefit of hindsight which can sometimes result in hindsight bias • We can perhaps get closer to the truth by exploring the past from a variety of perspectives • Historical events rarely have a single cause but are usually the result of a combination of factors ToK - History

2. Reason What fallacies arise in studying history? Maths What role do statistics play in history? Perception How reliable is eye-witness testimony as a primary source? ToK - History Ethics Should historians make moral judgments about the past? Natural Sciences Can the scientific method be applied to history? History Arts How is history similar to fiction? How is it different? Human Sciences How does history differ from other social sciences? Language Can historical events be described in neutral language?

3. Some questions: ToK - History