Chapter
The Role of Contingency in History
37:02 - 43:39 (06:36)
The historical process isn't entirely deterministic, and there are powerful forces that drive events. Understanding the contingency of history can help prevent fatalism and remind students that events could have gone another way.
Clips
While there were forces driving Europe towards conflict prior to 1914, historian Niall Ferguson emphasizes the important role contingency played in World War I.
37:02 - 40:18 (03:16)
World War I
Summary
While there were forces driving Europe towards conflict prior to 1914, historian Niall Ferguson emphasizes the important role contingency played in World War I. He explains that contingency, or possibility, played a critical role in determining British Chancellor David Lloyd George's stance on intervention in the war.
ChapterThe Role of Contingency in History
Episode#634: Niall Ferguson, Historian — The Coming Cold War II, Visible and Invisible Geopolitics, Why Even Atheists Should Study Religion, Masters of Paradox, Fatherhood, Fear, and More
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
History teaches us that events and outcomes are not predetermined, and understanding history can help us to better comprehend current events and the course of our own lives.
40:18 - 43:39 (03:20)
History
Summary
History teaches us that events and outcomes are not predetermined, and understanding history can help us to better comprehend current events and the course of our own lives.