So what?

Finally, we often need to explain why the subject is important or interesting.

When we write a historical description, we try to stick to known or accepted facts and avoid opinion.

But if the audience has no context, they will likely ask, "So what? Why is this person worth learning about? What is the significance of what they did or experienced?"

The problem is that explaining why something is important or interesting means making a value judgment, which is an opinion.

We can resolve this contradiction by describing value judgments that could be accepted as fact, such as:

Opinions of people who knew the subject at the time.
Opinions and conclusions that are broadly accepted by historians.

Simone Weil (Source)

For example, the French philosopher Simone Weil is known for the intensity of her ideas and experiences:

Simone Weil (1909—1943)

The French philosopher Simone Weil is a confronting and disconcerting figure in modern philosophy. This is not simply because she was so many things at once — ascetic and mystic, teacher and factory worker, labour activist and political militant, social thinker and piercing moral psychologist, critical Marxist and heterodox Christian theologian — but because of the striking “untimeliness” of her thought. For unlike philosophers in the analytic tradition, she insisted that life and philosophical reflection are connected on the deepest ethical level; and, unlike those in the postmodern tradition, she felt free to draw on terms like “truth,” “reality,” “the sacred,” “justice,” “soul,” and “God.”

Simone Weil (1909—1943)

Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel_Standing_Before_the_Launching_Chains_of_the_Great_Eastern),_The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (Source)

While the British engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is known for his innovations and inventions in engineering:

Engineers are respected as inventors, designers, scientists, builders and innovative thinkers – and one of the best-known embodiments of these aptitudes is Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Famed for his achievements in railway, civil and maritime engineering in 19th century Great Britain, Brunel led an awe-inspiring life, dedicated to connecting the world through his masterpieces of iron. His works still stand today and are hailed as examples of innovation, design, entrepreneurship, and execution.

Brunel’s achievements

Born on 9 April 1806, Brunel achieved many engineering feats in his 53 years of life, earning him recognition as one of the most inventive figures in engineering history.

Brunel built the Great Western Railway – a 124-mile railway route linking London to Bristol. The railway cut through rivers, valleys and hills using innovative viaducts, bridges and tunnels and was considered the best railway of its time. The 1.8-mile Box Hill Tunnel constructed as part of this project was the longest railway tunnel of its day.

Brunel played a part in designing the Clifton Suspension Bridge – a 700-foot bridge stretching over River Anon, which was the longest span of any bridge in the world at that time. The bridge remains in use today, with four million vehicles traversing it every year.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel: world's greatest engineer?(2021)

Now it's your turn. Write a brief biography about this intrepid archeologist, focusing on what was significant about his encounter with the glowing portal.

What did it mean? What significance did it have in his life and the world in general?

What kind of language about meaning and significance did we see in these snippets?

Simone Weil is a confronting and disconcerting figure...
She was so many things at once...
Because of the striking "untimeliness" of her thought...
One of the best-known embodiments of these aptitudes is...
Brunel led an awe-inspiring life...
His works are hailed as examples of...
Recognition as one of the most inventive figures in...

The language of 'so what' revolves around verb groups (words that describe the cause and effect relationships) and adjective groups (words that describe good or bad, and so on).

Using one of the snippets above as a model, write a 3-5 sentence biographical description, focusing on what this figure's life meant in history.

Dr. Thaddeus Brightwood (1893–1945)

Dr. Thaddeus Brightwood is a perplexing and controversial figure in the field of historical exploration. He was so many things at once—explorer, historian, and mystic—whose life embodied the intersection of ancient knowledge and modern science. Known for his discovery of the mythical Gates of Arcanum, his works are hailed as examples of bridging myth and reality. Dr. Brightwood's otherworldly explorations and groundbreaking research earned him recognition as one of the most inventive figures in the study of magical antiquities, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire and challenge contemporary scholars.

Describing historical figures