A Quote by Pieter Geyl

History is an argument without end.

Pieter Geyl

Quote Topics

Argument End History Without

Quote Author

Pieter Geyl
Dutch - Historian
December 15, 1887 - December 31, 1966

History is the art of making an argument about the past by telling a story accountable to evidence. In the writing of history, a story without an argument fades into antiquarianism; an argument without a story risks pedantry. Writing history requires empathy, inquiry, and debate. It requires forswearing condescension, cant, and nostalgia. The past isn’t quaint. Much of it, in fact, is bleak.

Jill Lepore

History is, indeed, an argument without end.

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

They say that 'history is an argument without end.' In Thompson's skillful hands, this momentous argument between two old friends on the most critical issue of the last century is thus history at its best. Thompson's judicious and delicious depiction of Nitze and Kennan will fascinate anyone who cares about the Cold War or the ways that human beings shape the future.

Jonathan Alter

As history stands, it is a sort of Chinese play, without end andl without lesson. With these impressions I wrote the last line of my History, asking for a round century before going further.

Henry Adams

It's actually quite common for presidents to believe that future generations will render a verdict on their presidencies that is more lasting or definitive than the judgments of their contemporaries. The reason is that although history is certainly "an argument without end" - we're still debating many age-old questions - time does help settle others.

David Greenberg

George W. Bush bought the election - period. End of story. There is no argument. You can try to come up with any argument you can, but there is none.

Gary Coleman

As History stands, it is a sort of Chinese Play, without end and without lesson.

Henry Adams

Never preach a sermon without a text from the Bible, a text containing the theme which you can elaborate. The text is the best proof in support of your argument. A sermon without a text is an argument without a proof.

Isaac Mayer Wise

In my view, the argument from parsimony is really no argument at all - it typically functions only to shut down more interesting discussion. If history is any guide, it's never a good idea to assume that a scienti?c problem is cornered.

David Eagleman

Every work of history is a combination of argument and narrative. The longer I write, the more I emphasize the narrative, the story, and the less attention I give to the argument. Arguments come and go.

H. W. Brands

History is full of really good stories. That's the main reason I got into this racket: I want to make the argument that history is interesting.

Sarah Vowell

As Geography without History seemeth a carkasse without motion; so History without Geography wandreth as a Vagrant without a certaine habitation.

John Smith

History remains an open horizon that cannot be dismissed through appeals to the end of history or end of ideology.

Henry Giroux

If I'm in a political argument, I think I can, with reasonable accuracy and without boasting, put the other person's side of the case at least as well as they could. One has to be able to say that in any well-conducted argument.

Christopher Hitchens

There was an ancient Roman lawyer, of great fame in the history of Roman jurisprudence, whom they called Cui Bono, from his having first introduced into judicial proceedings the argument, "What end or object could the party have had in the act with which he is accused."