» On history

It was Hegel, see below, who observed two centuries ago that we learn nothing from history and, apparently, this is still the case.

The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question ‘How can we eat?’ the second by the question ‘Why do we eat?’ and the third by the question ‘Where shall we have lunch?’

Douglas Adams . 1952-2001 . English writer and humorist . The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy

History does not always repeat itself. Sometimes it just yells, ‘Can’t you remember anything I told you?’ and lets fly with a club.

John W Campbell . 1910-1971 . American editor and writer . Analog science fiction/fact

There’s a good reason why nobody studies history. It just teaches you too much.

Noam Chomsky . 1928- . American linguist, cognitive scientist, philosopher, activist . speech at the University of Colorado at Boulder (2003)

Some would say that it is too idealistic to believe in a society based on tolerance and the sanctity of human life, where borders, nationalities and ideologies are of marginal importance. To those I say, this is not idealism, but rather realism, because history has taught us that war rarely resolves our differences. Force does not heal old wounds; it opens new ones.

Mohamed ElBaradei . 1942- . Egyptian diplomat, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency . acceptance speech on behalf of IAEA, Nobel peace prize (2005)

In times like these, it’s helpful to remember that there have always been times like these.

Paul Harvey . 1918-2009 . American radio broadcaster

What experience and history teach is this—that nations and governments have never learned anything from history, nor acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel . 1770-1831 . German philosopher . Lectures on the philosophy of history [trans, HB Nisbet]

History, Stephen said, is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake.

James Joyce . 1882-1941 . Irish novelist and poet . Ulysses

The history of childhood is a nightmare from which we have only recently begun to awaken.

Lloyd deMause . 1931- . American psychologist . The history of childhood

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana . 1863-1952 . Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist . The life of reason

History, it is easily perceived, is a picture-gallery containing a host of copies and very few originals.

Alexis de Tocqueville . 1805-1859 . French political thinker and historian . Old regime

History would be an excellent thing if only it were true.

Leo Tolstoy . 1828-1910 . Russian writer, philosopher and social activist

History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.

Gore Vidal . 1925-2012 . American essayist, novelist, playwright and intellectual

If you remember the Sixties, you weren’t there.

unknown, but none of the people to whom it is usually attributed

On history