Historians such as Richard Lim and D. K. Smith (2003) have argued that the study of history necessitates more than the mere recording (and memorization) of dates, people and events. It demands interpretation and necessitates invariably a degree of subjectivity in the process of analysis; no student of the past encounters historical materials or ideas or "facts" without a myriad assortment of beliefs, values, expectations, and constructs which naturally shape his or her assessments. Meaningful historical scholarship, in the view of these authors, mandates the application of some level of judgment, and any type of judgment is naturally subjective rather than fully objective.
Lim and Smith (2003) take the position that man, as a thinking, rational creature, has both the inclination and the obligation to make assessment of the past û partly as a means of avoiding failure or injustice in the future, and partly as a means of bringing to bear the powers of analysis on situations and their actors. As students engaged in an examination of the past, it is essential that we bring to this task the willingness to make such judgments. Blind acceptance of the appropriateness û much less the morality, justice and wisdom û of past behaviors is foolish at best. At worst, it is damaging to society and to the potential of a democratic society to establish and maintain its ideals.
There is clearly much to regret in Western history (a statement that can be made with regard to all parts of the world). The lessons to be learned from history center on eliminating those tendencies or actions that have been damaging to individuals and to entire groups. For example, recognizing the forces that led to the world wars can assist leaders and ordinary citizens alike in preventing a third world war. Similarly, bringing a contemporary lens of morality and ethics to bear on the past allows one to better understand how soci
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