These include the pity of war on wwi, the war of the world about the major conflicts in the 20th century including a stunning chapter on the armed slave labor camp that was the soviet union, and this book virtual history on counterfactual or what if history. Expository and appellatory is an article from the monist, volume 6. Evans is particularly interested in the 1960s and 1970s, when historians produced a series of counterfactual narratives in their areas of specialization. The assertion john has stopped beating his wife is made only conditionally. Pdf counterfactual thought experiments in history have become increasingly popular in the last two decades, and a new and. Defendants of virtual history normally claim that considering alternative. Alternatives and counterfactuals paperback 5 may 2011.
Virtual history is the brainchild of niall ferguson, a fellow and tutor in modern history at jesus. Counterfactual meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Counterfactual history, also sometimes referred to as virtual history, is a form of historiography. Search the history of over 418 billion web pages on the internet.
Alternatives and counterfactuals niall ferguson isbn. The implications of virtual history deserve to be meditated by every historian. Alternatives and counterfactuals niall ferguson these include the pity of war on wwi, the war of the world about the major conflicts in the 20th century including a stunning chapter on the armed slave labor camp that was the soviet union, and this book virtual history on counterfactual or what if history. An explication of what a counterfactual is in philosophy, particularly in counterfactual theories of causation like those offered by david lewis.
Available for your computer and your mobile device. Niall ferguson has written several fine books that are mustreads for educated people. Pdf possible uses of counterfactual thought experiments in history. Alternatives and counterfactuals in pdf or epub format and read it directly on your mobile phone, computer or any device. Pdf this essay provides an extended commentary on richard evans book. Free will is for history only an expression connoting what we do not know about the law of human life the recognition of mans free will as a force capable of influencing historical events.
But virtual history challenges this complacency as leading historians apply counterfactual arguments to decisive moments in modern history. Here he deals with how the second world war could have come about. First, counterfactuals have become increasingly important as a philosophical tool in the study of a wide variety of topics. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Counterfactual definition, a conditional statement the first clause of which expresses something contrary to fact, as if i had known. From counterfactual history to counternarrative history. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Virtual history features contributions from talented, imaginative and wellregarded historians, led by niall ferguson. Alternatives and counterfactuals by niall ferguson, 9780465023233, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Squibs and dlsccsst0n indicates that the speaker is not sure whether 11 is true. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Historians have traditionally refused to ask questions of the past, preferring to assume that whatever happened was inevitable. In this extract ferguson takes these different essays and weaves them into a counterfactual narrative history. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Virtual history by niall ferguson fatherland by robert harris the alteration by kingsley amis. Fergusons ninetypage introduction is a brilliant manifestolike defense of the methodology of counterfactual history and offers a convincing justifica tion of the whole enterprise. Alternatives and counterfactuals new edition edition.
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