Consciousness

Consciousness, Literature and the Arts

Archive

Volume 4 Number 1, April 2003

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Genealogy: A Bridge on the Road Between Philosophical Inquiry and the Offerings of the Computer Age

1. Introduction

Pursuits of a genealogical nature have been going on for many centuries. Today answering the question “who am I?” in a genealogical voice is generously facilitated by the transformations brought to society by the computer and its offspring. The possibilities which computer technology offers to genealogy and ultimately to philosophical inquiry have significance at a level far beyond the increase in access to information which is a given in any context. In this paper, I will discuss the relevance of conducting genealogy in the computer age, with a particular emphasis on how philosophical inquiry is nurtured through that partnership.

2. Genealogy: Its roots and importance

Langlois (1980) explains that the word genealogy comes from the Greek origins of “genos”, meaning birth, and “logos”, or study. He captures the definition of genealogy as the science which studies birth. Webster’s dictionary states that a genealogy is an account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or from older forms. In academic literature, the concept of genealogy is found in research articles in numerous fields (Clayton, 2000; Gilmartin, 1998; Hay, 2001; Joselit 2000; Knowles, 2001; Loftalian, 2001) .

“It is the natural human instinct to speculate upon one’s ancestors — where they lived and what they did — and it is not surprising that ancestral records and genealogies can be found in the earliest records of civilized man” (Currer-Briggs & Gambier, 1981, p. 28). Most writers commenting on the history of the development of genealogy concur with the perspective that a preoccupation with ancestry was often associated with inheritance rights and the contesting of those rights (Currer-Briggs & Gambier, 1981; Herber, 1997; Langlois, 1980; Olivier, 1981). Professional genealogists have at times been called upon by lawyers to explain lineage.

For several centuries, genealogy would be associated with the pursuit of claims to aristocracy, and from the perspective of some, developed a reputation of snobbishness and deceit (Currer-Briggs & Gambier, 1981). During the century which has just ended, however, a turnabout occurred and genealogy has quickly become a popular and fascinating pursuit of the average person. In the case of British genealogical history, 1911 marked the appearance of the first Society of Genealogists, and a professional body of genealogists came on the scene in 1968. Today’s “world-wide explosion in ancestor-hunting” is described in the following way by Baxter (1999):

In every corner of the developed world there are new genealogical or family-history societies, and from New Zealand to Norway, South Africa to Sweden, Canada to the Czech Republic, tens of thousands of men and women are searching for their roots. (p. vii)

In Lambert’s (1998) study of genealogists and family historians in one Canadian province, only 7% of the 1348 respondents to a questionnaire were under the age of 40; an impressive 27 per cent were aged 70 or more. One might concur that the quest to discover more about our past intensifies with increasing age. Another explanation is that a retired status provides more time for research along with time for involvement in the social organizations connected to genealogy. In the same study, 37% of respondents were male.

What is it that attracts people to genealogy? What is it that makes it “...something more than a hobby..an engrossing occupation, a new vocation for an active and inquisitive mind” (Doane, 1937, p. 3). The answer may be found in a philosophical realm. If not for those who made the decisions they did, whether by choosing the mate they did, moving across an ocean, or educating themselves in certain ways, we would be different from the person we are today. It may be that genealogists are those who recognize that the taken-for-granted perception of being “our own person” is false. In many ways, we are who we are, where we are, and how we are in part because of choices made by those who came before. Seeking to know those people better may be a form of fulfilling a vacancy in our very selves, and of acknowledging our debt to them

3. The transformational impact of conducting genealogy in the computer age

During a genealogy conference held in New Brunswick, Canada in the summer of 2001, the keynote speaker referred to a study he had read which placed genealogy as one of the top three reasons for using the internet. The existence of thousands of online genealogy sites (Hahn, 2001) further supports this marriage between computer technology and genealogy.

It is not difficult to imagine the excitement which must have been generated by those who first used the computer for their personal family research. Phillimore, writing in 1887, agonized over the challenges of systematic and practical methods for displaying pedigrees. He would be impressed with today’s capacity to print complicated charts in moments. He would also covet the computer’s organization abilities for, as he wrote, “The importance of system and method in genealogical works cannot be too strongly insisted on”(p. 13).

In their chapter entitled: “High-Tech Help: Computers and Genealogy”, authors Willard & Willard (1997) speak of the revolutionizing of genealogy by the personal computer. They note that “...there is a virtual feeding frenzy of family history taking place in cyberspace” (p. 103). They go on to describe some of the resources which can be accessed through the computer, including: chat rooms and forums, electronic mail, the world wide web, search engines, personal home pages, subscription home pages, usenet news groups, file transfer protocol (FTP), online databases, and library card catalogs (telnet). Renick & Wilson (1999) have identified eleven reasons why genealogists are appreciative of the Internet as a tool: locating people (both deceased and living); research; software; education and training; travel help; language aids; for dates for genealogical events; to locate historical and genealogical societies; to purchase genealogical products and services, for medical resources and for the social interaction which it permits.

A point worth emphasizing is the time saved in the journey to learning more about those who have contributed to who we are today. Comparing today’s ease with that of a few decades ago, Hahn (2001) writes: “You had to spend time on trips to the library, courthouse, church archives, newspaper archives -- anywhere you might find documents that could shed light on your family’s history. You also had to spend a lot of time on the phone, trying to track down sources of information. As long as the search remained in the United States, things weren’t so bad; but when you started to look outside the country, the task got more difficult” (p. 3). Beyond the efficiency with which some family historical information can be located using the internet, the ability to pinpoint a search in an institution through electronical means prior to making the voyage is particularly important. Most professional genealogists today recommend that amateurs do in-depth preparation to make their in-person visits more effective.

4. Philosophical Issues: How computer-enhanced genealogical inquiry draws participants to deeper levels of meaning

The theme of this International Society for the Study of European Ideas Conference is identity. Often in our intellectual discussions we examine the boundaries between our national identities and the increasingly global nature of political and economic relations which transcend borders. One does not have to engage in a genealogical investigation of family branches (both descending and ascending) for very long, before the permeability of a nationalistic identity becomes apparent. As youth or young adults, we may well stake claim to one nation to explain “who we are”. Certainly a passport seems to be evidence and fact attesting to the certainty of the claim.

If we set aside the passport, however, and examine our family tree, over but three generations, the identity certainty begins to lose its footing. Census records display the country of origin of new immigrants. It is natural to identify ourselves with these nations of our ancestors. Individuals will ask one another “So what are you?” The responses that come forth indicate the identification with national identities of past generations. It is this recognition that national identities are not static, but constructions of the intellect, which genealogy can offer to society for reflection toward greater sensitivity and commitment among individuals and among nations. As a personal example, my discovery of French Canadian heritage in my background has come as a complete surprise to some members of my family. To them, “the french”in our country have always been “the other”; the unknown, perhaps even the suspicious. Now I am able to point out to these living relatives that “they” are also “us”; “we”are French Canadian, in fact. The strength of a kinship tie has created a need for a shift in perspective, in attitude, and in prejudice. The question of “Who am I”, pursued through genealogy, has transformed my knowledge and understanding of myself and has demanded that I go through a transformation of sorts to acknowledge that I have been partially created by those whom I may yesterday have feared, shunned, or ignored.

If it is true that there is value to awakening an awareness of the inclusion of national identities in our make-up other than that which our passport claims to be the case, then the computer is a midwife to such a birthing process. There has been a strong tendency to bemoan the death of any elder relative when genealogy is being discussed, due to the recognition that so much history and endless stories have followed them to the grave. Certainly this phenomenon continues to have relevance. However, I would propose that the advent of the computer has provided some preliminary healing to that sense of loss, for it is now offering the capacity to obtain and locate information which, had our parents been engaging in genealogy, could not have been theirs. At this moment, for example, I could turn on the computer and locate the cemeteries in Ontario where ancestors who I never met are buried. I can bring up the 1851 Census and see a great great great grandfather as a two year old, beside all siblings and parents listed. I can forward a query to lands where I have never been, asking assistance and information that will lead me to yet another clue in the puzzle of my relations. It cannot be overstated that conducting genealogy today has enabled massive leaps from blank pages to complete pedigrees.

As a second and related point, the crossing of borders through computer-paved highways leads to new relationships, new appreciations, and new partnerships among strangers. Certainly the internet has offered this to individuals from all nations in endless interest and vocational areas – we in this room were likely connected through the generosity of computer-facilitated communication. Perhaps a unique feature of genealogical searches is the duration of the contacts and the sense of reciprocity which seems to be instilled in those who engage in service to others which is then shared. A concrete example is the fact that so many genealogical societies and associations do put tremendous numbers of volunteer hours into transcribing information so it will be available to others, or to bittering uncertain weather in order to carefully document information on tombstones in remote corners of the earth. This is work done by strangers, for other strangers, out of what I assume to be a deep commitment to humanity and an honouring of actions which honour those to whom we are all indebted for our presence as citizens of the planet. I hold a deep and very sincere regard for individuals who, for example, toiled with their fingers to ensure that the 1851 Census for a county could be available to me, thousands of miles away. As I sat at my computer far into the night, I recall saying a silent thanks to those people, whomever they were, for their kindness and generosity. The fact that genealogy in the computer age enables offers of assistance from strangers to strangers, in an area which is of such a strong and passionate significance to those who pursue it, is a credit to the humanitarian elements inherent in the endeavour.

A third significant contribution which genealogy through the computer offers is its ushering of the average person toward academic disciplines such as history, economics, geography, political science, and cultural studies. Or, as Doane (1937) explains, “Digging for lost ancestors is far more than simply collecting the names of your ascendants. It sometimes takes you into strange places, and in the course of your excavations a considerable amount of history, geography, psychology, and law very likely will be added to your store of knowledge” (p. 3). Knowing names of ancestors and their dates of birth, marriage and death rates are but dry crusts of bread – the genealogist quickly becomes ravenous for a feast of description. What was the person’s occupation? Why did so many people move from one region to another during that time period? Where is the location of the village where great great grandmother went to school? Who was the monarch reigning during that time? What major events were taking place in the world when this relative was walking the earth? The desire for knowledge becomes insatiable. As academics, we long to instill this love of learning into our students; genealogy provides its indulgents with such curiosity and yearning, while the computer provides smoother passage from one pool of knowledge to the next.

Professors of these related disciplines might graft the notion of heightened interest created by an exploration of one’s relatives to their everyday teaching methodology to see if they might thereby snag students’attention in a meaningful way. They could ask students not to simply write a descriptive essay on a historical period, a social movement, a political crisis, or an economic upset from a third person perspective, but to identify and name one of their own relatives who lived in that time period. The paper could be written from the perspective of that relative who has contributed to the student’s identity. This is a way not only to make the times and society alive and significant, but as well to reinforce the role that social actors play in shaping events. Imagining the events and changes from the perspective of an ancestor is a creative way to invite students to share in the enthusiasm which the professor holds for the time period.

A final suggestion which might be of interest to teachers of computer skills is to be creative about learning assignments. Instructors should think about how the desire to discover “connections”of a human kind, with relatives, could be motivation for learning about “connections”of a computer technology nature. Young people could be paired with older adults to provide instruction to navigate toward sites which can provide some genealogical details or permit a search that could unearth valuable tidbits of information and intrigue. As well, students in computer courses could be assigned to do genealogical research, which will simultaneously encourage greater ease and ability using this technology, while catering to a deeper need for a sense of meaning which pursuing one’s identity can provide.

5. Conclusion

Phillimore (1887) held the belief that genealogy might lead to greater tolerance and understanding between nations and cultures. Referring to nations with ties to Britain, he wrote:

The day is probably not far distant when the younger English colonies in America, Africa, and Australiasia will display that same anxiety to know something of their past family history and to connect their lineage with the old country, which is so characteristic of the elder English settlements now known as the United States. And perhaps it is not too much to anticipate that an extended knowledge of their common descent will tend to lessen local rivalries and to know more firmly together in one common union all the Anglo-Saxon settlements throughout the world (p. 193).

The capacity to expand one’s genealogical map has been made infinitely greater in the computer age context. Connections at other levels and in other dimensions have been made possible while conducting genealogy through the computer. Has the computer’s infiltration into genealogy provided the answers to all related questions of a philosophical nature? Certainly not. Baxter (1999) offers a pertinent reminder that in genealogy as in other pursuits, the Internet is not an instant solution nor the answer to all problems. He identifies some essential qualities which can only exist in human form. These qualities are worth repeating in this intellectual reflection, for they speak to an essential foundation which must precede and guide the creative use of computer technology in any endeavour. These qualities are: “...grim determination, infinite patience, a lively imagination, and an open mind for everything new.” (p. x)

Willard, J. & Willard, J. (1997). Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide to Family History & Genealogy. New York: KBYU TV.