You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Some people think history has nothing or little to tell us. Others believe that studying the past history can help us better understand the present. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

An inevitable heritage of deconstructionism is historical

nihilism

, which has haunted all contemporary historians and philosophists. From my perspective, on the one hand,

this

opinion arbitrarily repudiates the possibility of reflecting on

history

and whereby avoiding the same mistakes;

on the other hand

, it is partly reasonable in its insightful cognition that we do not "know"

history

,

instead

, only interpret it. Before defending

history

, I would like to expound on these rational elements of historical

nihilism

. Precisely as Zizek's saying, all histories are contemporary, which means when we learn

history

through various media, both the obscurity of these media and our cultural backgrounds will influence understanding. It is usually inevitable that we are not learning

history

,

instead

, we are "learning" the

history

in our eyes. Seen from

this

aspect, we can to some degree recognise the rationality of historical

nihilism

, which largely depended on the profound development of epistemology in the

last

two centuries.

Nevertheless

, as I have said, I am not intent on defending historical

nihilism

. But if our prosecution against it is based on a misconception about it, we cannot expect any actual progress in our efforts. After checking the rationality of historical

nihilism

, I would like to explain why I do not agree with it. One primary reason is

that

Correct word choice

apply

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that we cannot grasp the truth of

history

does not mean we are unable to learn from it something.

Although

Hegel pessimistically said "the only thing the human has learnt from

history

is that they never learn anything from

history

",

this

is not true. After the Holocaust caused by Nazis, the Germans have confirmedly rejected a party with racism; after the poisonous misty in London, the UK's government has persistently improved air conditions. The

history

of our versions does teach us something. In conclusion,

although

nihilists are justified to some degree in arguing that

history

does not tell us anything,

this

does not prevent us from continually absorbing wisdom from it, which helps us lead a better life.