Random Thought

The last factor that we will discuss that leads to most errors, limits and misunderstanding within the pursuit of historical knowledge is change. What do I mean by change? Maybe another word could be movement. Both change and movement impact where and how we live and settle and grow. Man has not always lived as we do today. Nor has man always lived in just one location, even 'civilized' man, and certainly not the hunter-gather ancestors of the Stone Age. As the title implies we are going to discuss two 'natural' events that have HUGE impact on human location, movement, and lifestyle. The two natural events that we are going to discuss are Plate Tectonics and Ice Ages. Both events have a greater impact on our history than we give them credit for, mainly because we do not believe that modern man has lived through an Ice Age and most of the movement of Plate Tectonics is a very slow and gradual process. Yet, geologists will tell you that we are in an Ice Age, just tha...

Photo Credit www.bioss.ac.uk Previously we talked about how personal short comings with academics can impact interpretation of history and historical evidence, especially in regard to archaeology and anthropology, in uncovering our past. Today lets look at how simple words can be used to either support erroneous fact  or facts that are ignored because of the words that describe them. There are several factors that can lead to words  being ignored or used to support incomplete or even wrong facts . The least of which is modern experts own contextual basis, to incomplete or wrong interpretation of the ancient source. The incomplete or wrong interpretation is usually due to the fact that today's experts tend to blindly accept previous findings as fact without truly following the logic and standard of scrutiny that is supposed to be employed to validate one's hypothesis to ensure the most accurate theories that facts can support are presented to the academic world and then to...

There are many things to keep in mind when one is a student of history. The most important feature that one needs is an open mind. Unfortunately, that seems to be the least common attribute that any academic has this day and age. The prevalent misconception is that either you are open minded and thus naive, or you are skeptical and thus intelligent and knowledgeable. This is a flawed sentiment, for having an open mind allows you to, without bias, observe and analyze an idea, thought, theory solely on its merit, and you can do this logically and rationally and critically. In academic circles, where skepticism is a requirement, it is both the PC label for close minded and the scholarly equivalent of double-dog dare daring them to not only prove their idea, but to prove it beyond your own personal biases and dogmas, usually an impossible feat indeed.  Photo credit Nikola Solic Our ancestors have left us with a plethora of clues about themselves that we need only unravel. Howev...

Personally I have thought for a long time that Neanderthal has gotten the short end of the stick . And as more studies are published and more finds are made in the field, it looks like the pre-history and evolution books are going to have to be seriously rewritten.....like thrown out and start from scratch! From my point of view this is a very good thing. I have had serious issues with many of the 'facts' of the 'Out of Africa' one way point of view. Just as I have more serious issues with the "Bering Strait" migration route into North and South America. by nikola solic Starting here in North America, there are many places that show human occupation prior to the 10,000 year date, there are locations in Vero Beach, Florida that date approximately 15,000 years ago, in Clovis, New Mexico that date to approximately 13,000 years ago, and in Valsequillo, Mexico with dates that go as far back as possibly 40,000 years ago. Oops! And these are not ALL the sites ...