Experimenting with Cognitive Historiography
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | A crucial decision lies before the newly emerging field of Cognitive historiography: whether to strive for bridging the gap between the Sciences and Humanities or to settle for using the Sciences to fill in the gaps in the historical evidence. Based on current contributions to the field and the use of experimental testing as a standard method in Cognitive sciences, this text assesses both modes, considers the usefulness of experiments to each and identifies practical steps for its effective implementation. However, cautioning against mutual misunderstandings and methodological blunder in the first mode based on collaboration and integration of the Sciences and Humanities, the text calls for further clarification of the research agenda, stressing the necessary shift to pattern- versus event-oriented research questions on the side of historiography and the shift to novel experimental methodologies on the side of Cognitive sciences. Considering the second mode, the Cognitive-sciences-inspired-historiography mode, clear understanding of statistical inferential methods and clear criteria for evidence usability to avoid haphazard conclusions may prove necessary before attempting to combine scientific knowledge and historical material. |
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