Re: [Phys-l] American History; was Academic Familiarity Breeds Discomfort?

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

Hi all-
On Fri, 25 Jul 2008, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> Since we're referencing, any of Zinn's People's Histories.
>
> http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
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	Here's a review of one such book:
36 of 166 people found the following review helpful:3.0 out of 5 stars 
Raises important questions, terrible scholarship, January 5, 2002By A 
CustomerTHE GOOD: Professor Zinn raises important questions that test our 
long held assumptions about American history, and for this--the 
questions--the book should be read and discussed vigorously. The book is 
also very readible, with a flowing, yet serious style.THE BAD: 
Unfortunately, the book suffers from two fatal flaws, and for this reason 
does not belong in a classroom (college or otherwise). First, Zinn fails 
to cite adequately his sources (no footnotes or endnotes), leaving the 
reader with only a vague sense of his source material. This is 
particularly unacceptable for
a work that admits to be controversial. His excuse, in the preface, that 
the foo
tnotes would be too voluminous, is lame at best. Witness Pulitzer winning 
historian McCullough's use of sources in his much acclaimed JOHN ADAMS.

For instance, in his chapter on Columbus, he indicates that two years 
after Columbus landed on Hispanola the native Arawak population had nearly 
all died. He also cites evidence of some gratuitously harsh treatment by 
the Spanish-- but he does not really indicate the degree to which these 
events were isolated or the norm. Specifically: did the Arawaks perish as 
a result of systematic slaughter or from disease transmitted from Spanish 
soldiers? If only, say, 20% were slaughtered and the rest died from 
disease, our moral judgments would be different than if the case were 
reversed. This historical method characterizes his use of examples 
throughout the book: anecdotal pieces without proper context. To the 
extent Zinn fails to quantify or even discuss the problems of 
quantification (however crudely) he is really just putting on a slight of 
hand. He invites the unsuspecting (or unsophisticated) reader to adopt 
inferences that might not be warranted or which the reader's emotions 
might have predisposed her.

Hence, though well written and fascinating for the questions it raises, 
the book fails to make its case stick and can be misleading. Read it, but 
with extreme caution, and try to recognize the slights of hand for what 
they are. It's a pity: his inquiry is important, but his method undermines 
his case.
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For instance, in his chapter on Columbus, he indicates that two years 
after Columbus landed on Hispanola the native Arawak population had nearly 
all died. He also cites evidence of some gratuitously harsh treatment by 
the Spanish-- but he does not really indicate the degree to which these 
events were isolated or the norm. Specifically: did the Arawaks perish as 
a result of systematic slaughter or from disease transmitted from Spanish 
soldiers? If only, say, 20% were slaughtered and the rest died from 
disease, our moral judgments would be different than if the case were 
reversed. This historical method characterizes his use of examples 
throughout the book: anecdotal pieces without proper context. To the 
extent Zinn fails to quantify or even discuss the problems of 
quantification (however crudely) he is really just putting on a slight of 
hand. He invites the unsuspecting (or unsophisticated) reader to adopt 
inferences that might not be warranted or which the reader's emotions 
might have predisposed her.

Hence, though well written and fascinating for the questions it raises, 
the book fails to make its case stick and can be misleading. Read it, but 
with extreme caution, and try to recognize the slights of hand for what 
they are. It's a pity: his inquiry is important, but his method undermines 
his case.
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______________________________________________________________________

					Regards,
						Jack


--
"Trust me.  I have a lot of experience at this."
		General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
		just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley