Reply To: Mon 17 March: Greece and Revisionist Environmental History

Reply to Sarah Rodrigue-Allouche by Sabbath Sunday

I agree with you Sarah that most of us do not have an academic background of natural science which would enable us to understand certain scientific issues like ecology as it is now seen to come into the discipline of history. Notwithstanding though, the multidisciplinary approach of environmental history studies, combines both human and natural sciences. I think that is why issues like pseudo-history and is being reconstructed by scientific means.

It is also true that pseudo-history is a complicated field which needs careful handling in order to come to with the real truth about happened and how it happened. However, according to Rackham the mainstream approach rather than revisionism has been adapted in the process of finding this truth. He gave several clues like studying the geological factors that affected past and present Greek ecology, human (anthropogenic) activities in time and space, the climate of the region, the pollen analysis and others. Yes, other sources like the bible records and the Greek philosophers’ writings cannot overshadow the above methodologies, but all in all, to make a better record of ancient and present Greek ecology requires a multifaceted approach involving scholars from all disciplines including modern philosophy as we find it in environmental history.

Although linking different disciplines is still a challenge, it is the only way out to iron out pseudo-data. Thank you Sarah for raising these contentious issues.