I finished reading the current issue of “History Today” yesterday. It is good to see the old magazine back in sparkling form in its 75th year, after a rather indifferent period recently.
The last page is in the form of a standard questionnaire, to which an eminent historian supplies the answer. This month it was the turn of Dr Alexander Lee, a specialist in the history of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick (and a regular contributor to the magazine).
To the question “What historical topic have you changed your mind on?”, Dr Lee replied:
“Most things. History is a discipline of doubt: if you aren’t willing to change your mind about everything, I’m not sure you can progress with anything.”
I believe that is a very wise statement. I only wish it could be shared with a wider audience.
A large cause of our increasingly polarised society and fractured political culture is due to barely qualified politicians and internet keyboard warriors asserting half baked opinions as if they are facts, while denouncing their opponents as not merely wrong but as stupid and nasty as well.
There is no point in having a mind unless you are prepared to think with it and change it sometimes. And a little humbleness, humility and the rediscovery of the power of doubt would go a long way.