Would anyone be interested in a review of Richard Carriers "Proving History"?

by bohm 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • bohm
    bohm

    Richard Carrier has written a book on the historical method where he argue all valid historical methods can be described by, and reduced to, the logic of Bayes Theorem. Conversely, he argues that any method that cannot be reduced to this theorem is invalid and should be abandoned.

    He argue this is particular important when investigating christianic origins and he identify the lack of bayesian methods as a key problem. He is currently preparing a second book that will apply the tools in "proving history" to this question.

    I could only find two reviews (on blogs) of Carriers book, and i didnt think either was very informative. Since bayesian methods is my area of research, i think i could actually write an informed review. But it would be some work and I only think i would do it if someone had an interest in it, or was generally interested in Carriers ideas.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    You made me look. I just got myself oriented to Bayes' theorem. When it comes to history, we rarely get new evidence. Even if we do, due to its distance from the event, its quality is reduced.

    So much of history is dependent on what someone else has written about the event. First-person accounts are rare.

    I would be curious how the Historical Jesus would shake out from such an analyis. There's no shortage of materials, but of course little of the first quality.

    Why don't you go for it? Even though your analysis would be for a limited audience, I am sure it would be appreciated.

  • bohm
    bohm

    Side note -- anyone read it or thought of doing so?

  • Terry
  • Hortensia
    Hortensia

    There are some reviews on Amazon. The book sounds interesting, and I'd like to read your review. I'd like to read the book, too, so I put it on my list.

  • Terry
  • Terry
  • bohm
    bohm

    Okay, think i will get back at this during the next month. In the meantime, i am curious if anyone has read the book, planning to read it or is otherwise interested in Carriers hypothesis?

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    I have not read this but I read another book attempting to apply Bayes to the study of history. Interesting but in the end object to the idea of history being treated like a science on an aesthetic and ethical level.

  • bohm
    bohm

    which book was that SBF?

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