Reason is not a Thing, or a Person, much less a God... It is an activity, and a highly individual one. It is people thinking and judging: more, it is individual person's thinking and judging. Neither is History a Thing: it is what people think, write and believe about the past. A knowledge of the past is essential in making political or moral judgments, but ‘History’ as such does not judge. That is done by people; and best done by people free to think, read, inform themselves and debate before they decide; and having decided, be free to change their minds.
Sir Michael Howard












