READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Assignment No. 1

Hije, Mark John L. Professor, Edelyndon Enriquez 

BSID 3-1 November 10, 2021

1. What is the meaning of history as an academic discipline? 

Every one of us has a history to be told, it may be personal writing from yourself, a

shared experience, or a witnessed event, this story may tell something about ourselves and

perhaps present a broader view of what our society’s living. History imparts key skills such as

analysis, assessment, argument, evidence utilization, and communication, all of which are useful

in many other areas of life than history studies.

“History is narratives. From chaos comes order. We seek to understand the past by

determining and ordering ‘facts’; and from these narratives, we hope to explain the decisions and

processes which shape our existence.” -Francesca Morphakis

According to Britannica, history is the study of the chronological record of events, and

such affects the realm and people of the Nation, this was all based on a critical assessment and

thorough evaluation of source materials may it be the primary sources or secondary source it

coincides on an agreement of offering an explanation of the causes of each event. 

Several articles deal with history. For the primary exposition of the subject of history and

the academic study required for the discipline. History indeed covers an almost all-important

aspect of our lived community and to all human endeavors. 

Reference:

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2019, December 18). history. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/history

2. What is historiography? Why is historiography important for students who study

history?
Historiography is the authoring of history by credible historians, particularly the writing

of history based on the critical analysis of sources, it is important to only look into and select

specific information from credible and authentic materials in those sources, and the synthesis of

those facts into a narrative that stands the test of critical investigation. Historiography also

includes the philosophy and history of historical writing. (Vann, 2020). 

Indeed history should be at the forefront of existing knowledge, when we study

something that concerns the field of our expertise it is necessary for us to know and learn from

its history, to not do the same mistake but rather make emendations in response to those mistakes

for the betterment of the profession, and again, to end as a student studying history doesn’t just

give information about what happens to the past that seems not to concern us in the present, but

it also attests our critical thinking skills and the ability to filter and assess information that we

should absorb and be shared. 

Reference: 
Vann, R. T. (2020, October 27). historiography. Encyclopedia
Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/historiography
3. Briefly discuss the following schools of historiography.
    3.1. Positivism
In Western philosophy, positivism as a philosophical ideology and movement refers to

any theory that limits itself to evidence from experience and rejects a priori or metaphysical

theories. Positivism originally took on its distinguishing aspects by the French philosopher

Auguste Comte. 

Before it arrives at a profound existing tradition known as analytic philosophy, it went

through stages such as empirical criticism, logical positivism, and logical empiricism, and to this

day Analytical philosophy is the dominant philosophical tradition in the English-speaking world.

 Its impact has grown gradually across the non-English-speaking globe during the last

two decades. The development of societies for analytic philosophy throughout the world is one

indication of this. (Tugendhat, 1976). 

The assertions of positivism are the basis of all knowledge concerning facts is based on

the “positive” data of experience and above the area of fact is that of pure logic and pure

mathematics.  

Reference; 
Feigl, H. (2020, November 4). positivism. Encyclopedia
Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/positivism 

Tugendhat, Ernst (1976). Vorlesungen zur Einführung in die sprachanalytische

Philosophie. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp; tr. P. A. Gorner as Traditional and
Analytical Philosophy: Lectures on the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1982.   
    3.2. Postcolonialism
The historical era or condition of affairs that follows Western colonialism; the word can

also refer to the parallel attempt to recover and reinterpret the history and agency of people

subjected to various types of imperialism. (Ivison, 2020). 

In this understanding, writings are subject to revisions and re-interpretation after some

foreign expressions in social, political, economic, scientific, legal, and cultural ideologies

dominance. 

For example, Philippines colonialism by other Nations has a significant impact on the

preservation of our country’s literary cultural heritage, seemingly as we are now it is evident that

colonialism went deep into our culture perhaps mixed with our old culture creating a hybrid of

both. According to (Cruz, 2019) The colonial heritage has established a precedent that is

destroying historic customs, modes of life, and traditions.

buildings and edifices to facilitate the formation of a new set of world order, so

establishing a precedent Neglect and contempt for cultural heritage conservation are prevalent in

today's society.

Reference: 
Feigl, H. (2020, November 4). positivism. Encyclopedia
Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/positivism 

Ivison, D. (2020, November 10). postcolonialism. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/postcolonialism 

 
  3.3. Annales School of History
French School of historical thought was established by Lucien Febvre (1878–1956) and

Marc Bloch (1886–1944). 

concerned with the notion of the history of ideologies, worldviews, and mental structures:

the historical backdrop, focusing on the problem of time and the interrelationships between

different timelines of which human interactions are perceived. 

History becomes a dialogue between the past and the present, with the investigator's job

being to explore both the interests and ideals of the society to which the investigator belongs, as

well as those aspects that are distinctive to the culture of the people being investigated.

Annales school is said to be the most influential on the field of study with history in

Britain and indeed worldwide. sought to break down the barriers between history and other

disciplines, incorporating ideas from literature and psychology as well as the social sciences in

an attempt at the mentalités of particular historical periods.

Reference: 
Annales School. Oxford Reference. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021,
from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810104350125.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017, April 19). Annales school. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Annales-school 
4. Briefly discuss Pantayong Pananaw as a new guiding philosophy for writing and 
    teaching Philippine history. 
 The pantayong pananaw (also known as Bagong Kasaysayan, or New History) is the

most conceptually detailed articulation of an indigenized social science approach that offers a

viable alternative to (Western) positivist social science at the moment.

In the context of pantayong, pananaw came from two distinct perspectives. First, the

pangkayo viewpoint ('from-you-for-us' perspective) relates to external agents' assessments of

one's culture; the pangkayo perspective primarily alludes to colonial historiography, which

appraised Filipino beliefs and practices using exclusively exterior cultural norms. The pangkami

('from-us-to-you') approach, on the other hand, was originally advocated by a generation of

intellectuals trained in Spain and later replied to allegations of colonial history over components

of Filipino cultural heritage. (Sapitula, 2020). 

With this regard, it is comparative that it is more reliant to have this kind of conversation

or discourse where both sides are sited in for “Close circuit interaction” in addition it sought to

practice in to Speak and writing in Filipino so that the talastasan (discourse) is constantly geared

toward local cultures rather than 'outsiders' and their interests. 

With all that, the intention of this guiding philosophy is only for the safe of safeguarding

the cultural identity of us Filipino. 

Reference: 
Sapitula, M. (2020, October 27). Pook at Paninindigan: Kritika ng Pantayong Pananaw
- Harvard-Yenching Institute. Harvard. Retrieved November 10, 2021,
from https://www.harvard-yenching.org/research/pook-paninindigan-critical-appraisal-
pantayong-pananaw/. 
5. Is history an objective discipline? Explain.

 Partly yes, and in some instances no. Yes, because as we know, and as they should,

historians write faithfully only what is supported with facts and concrete pieces of evidence

without the interference of their own belief and or affected by their own feelings thus clearly

pictures the real event in the past. History as it should, be as close as to the facts and pieces of

evidence not unlike a complete subjective history that varies from person to person. 

With that being said absolute objectiveness on history is quite doubtful when presented

with facts it is subject to a balance of evidence reflecting the intersubjectivity of truth, for

example, we have an eye witness, an eye witness telling his side on the given situation are

subject to subjective response to the question concerning the event, and with that doubt,

historians or anyone in the authority would analyze its response and credibility thus requiring

them to judge the scenario themselves though they oath not to be affected by their own feelings,

it is innate for everyone to somehow feelings intervene and preconceive belief touch our

judgment. 

To support according to (O’Gorman, 2020), Historians attempt to rebuild or recreate

history to reflect how life was lived and understood in the past, which necessitates a creative

engagement with the mind and environment of the past. As a result, a historian cannot be

impartial since facts do not speak for themselves, and no two historians will have the same

creative reaction to any idea. 

Reference:
Kundra, S. (2017, February 20). (PDF) objectivity in history. ResearchGate. Retrieved
November 10, 2021,
from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314113409_OBJECTIVITY_IN_HISTOR
Y. 
 O'Gorman, E. (n.d.). Is history an objective discipline? explain your answer ... Retrieved
November 10, 2021, from  https://www.quora.com/Is-history-an-objective-discipline-
Explain-your-answer. 

6. Distinguish primary sources from secondary sources. Give 2 examples of each

    category. 
Primary sources are firsthand information or physical evidence, contemporaneous records

of events created by persons at the time or several years later. Examples of this are

those manuscripts, newspapers, speeches, cartoons, photographs, videos, and artifacts. This is

easily distinguishable from other sources it is described as the one being closest to its origin of

the information or alike thus contains raw information that needs to be interpreted by researchers

supporting also with a shred of evidence or existing fact.  

On the other hand, Secondary sources may seem to be the product of primary sources,

according to an article released by Furman University it is the documents that relate to

information that originated elsewhere. Secondary sources often use generalizations, analysis,

interpretation, and synthesis of primary sources. To support this UC Sta Cruz University

describes this as the least one step away from the event or phenomena under consideration and as

an interpretation of primary sources drawn upon to make conclusions. Examples of this are

Journal articles that comment on or analyze research, textbooks, dictionaries and encyclopedias,

books that interpret, analyze political commentary, biographies, dissertations, newspaper

editorial/opinion pieces, etc. 

Reference: 
Library guides: Distinguish between primary and secondary sources: Home. Home -
Distinguish Between Primary and Secondary Sources - Library Guides at the University
 of California, Santa Cruz. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021,
from https://guides.library.ucsc.edu/primarysecondary. 
Primary and secondary sources. Library. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021,
from https://www.library.unsw.edu.au/using-the-library/information-resources/primary-
and-secondary-sources.

7. Differentiate between external criticism and internal criticism. 

External criticism, the goal of external critique is to determine the validity or genuineness

of data. It is also known as lower criticism. In addition, according to (Bundgens, 2021) Internal

critique, also known as positive criticism, is the researcher's endeavor to recover the

understanding of the message. This will be the stage of textual criticism in which the researcher

focuses on the meaning of the text rather than the document's outward aspects.

Internal Criticism is also known as Higher Criticism since it deals with more essential

matters than exterior form. In addition, External criticism is a technique through which historians

establish if a source is authentic by examining the source's authenticity. Internal criticism

examines the dependability of an authorized source after it has been subjected to external

scrutiny.

Reference: 
Bundgens, N. (n.d.). What is internal and external criticism of historical sources?
Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://askinglot.com/what-is-internal-and-external-
criticism-of-historical-sources. 

8. What do you think is the relevance of studying history to Interior Design?

History is full of stories, and each story have a different perspective to show, it helps us

build not just the skills we need in the profession of Interior design but also shapes us into the

best of us, although not all perspective is favorable some are stretched out and disoriented some

are inspiring and vibrant what this implies to us is whether or not we part of it we can benefit
from it by learning with them, assessing what would omit for correction and what to contract to

build 

For us to advance we must know where we begin, Interior design is a process in which a

body of knowledge is executed in an orderly manner. That is what we are enjoying now, we have

a system that is organized and systematized but if we look back into where it begins, we can see

that it came from a messy beginning, with that being said the progress we have now is the

product of lesson learned experiences from our past, thorough understanding of our past makes

us mitigate mistakes and helps to make new avenues of information.