Princess Jean G.

Delos Reyes

GE 8: Readings in Philippine History (3275)

Why holistic science confuses history?

The utilization of holistic science as an approach in historical research pave the

way for bridging the impact of past occurrences to the contemporary world. Specifically,
the methodology of holistic science centers in an inquiry of complex phenomena. It’s a
paradigm that seeks to fathom something with respect to a whole system, and the
connection of it to its environment. However, due to the limitations and biases holistic
science posed, the birth and growth of confusion in history occurs.

Mainly, history within the lens of holistic science is highly subjective. As

historians dig up the past, written and non-written sources served as repositories for the
restoration of past events. These historical data are a sort of bread crumbs left behind
by history for historians to seek and find. The process requires an observer—historians.
That is, the reconstruction of history greatly depends upon their interpretation. Also, a
fragment from a history might open for various explanations. It can be inferred that a
historian might be bias in his interpretation or worse, become discriminatory if he finds
such data conflicting with his personal interests.

Moreover, the study of the past is innately tricky wherein, a thorough research is
necessary for acquiring a degree of certainty as well as credibility. As evidences that
may confirm or repudiate arguments are inadequate and mostly scattered, then an
application of a comprehensive method is paramount. The approach of holistic science
tends to explicate certain events in the past from a general perspective. Therefore, a
historian’s goal for truth, authenticity, and plausibility is somehow unachievable. For
instance, the cultural history of the Philippines is best explained from an elemental
domain to further the interpretation, and generate an objective reasoning. In recreating
history, time is the greatest nemesis. Indeed, the past will always remain one, yet
history comes in several forms.