Boogie Music, and the right comprehension, and the right application thereof

We must make Boogie Music the essential factor in the life's law. In presenting this song to the world, we must then explain and justify our prediction by formulating a definition of Boogie Music and setting forth its main principles in such a way that all may understand instantly that their souls, their lives, and every relation with every other human being in every circumstance depends on Boogie Music, and the right comprehension, and the right application thereof.

– Canned Heat, Boogie Music (closing recitation)

Some philosophies are more useful than others.

Several years ago, on an intellectual self-dare, I labored through the dense and closely reasoned prose of the first chapter of a book on the philosophy of history, which reached the conclusion that it is possible to make factually correct statements about the past. I remain to this day blissfully ignorant of the words of wisdom contained in the balance of that volume.

I consider it a given that it is possible to make factually correct statements about the past. Beyond honoring the facts and allowing them to lead to the conclusions, I do not tend to be doctrinaire in my approach to history. A historical narrative is a story, and there are usually multiple ways to tell any story.

I do have several strong prejudices about assessing the facts and truth. One is to prefer actions and interests, rather than words, as a source of truth. Actions and events are the constituents of truth. The things people say may contain elements of truth, but people often speak to persuade, which undercuts the absolute trust that one can put in the veracity of the statements made. Yet at the same time, that a person uttered certain words is itself an event that one can accept as true even if one does not accept the truth of the words spoken.

Another is that correlation does not indicate causation. The occurrence of one event right after another, without more, does not necessarily establish a causal connection between them. On the other hand, I am equally suspicious of the claims that a single cause alone produced a significantly large result – "for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost" is a fallacy. The flight of a butterfly may originate or contribute to the hurricane, but it is not the sole cause.

Finally, I believe in context. My understanding of past events is enriched by my knowledge of the world in which they occurred – the prevailing attitudes and customs, the technologies people used, and the beliefs that guided their actions. Part of my responsibility as I write about those events is to share enough of that knowledge so that my readers can share my understanding.