Investigate or let it be--what do "you" think?

Why are investigations important, even necessary, into past events? Some would say "let bygones be bygones." Others would say, "unless you learn from history you are doomed to repeat it."

The first view strikes me as a form of laissez-faire fatalism; a "que sera sera," whatever will be will be acquiescence to fate, a benign resignation to human destiny.

The second view has a self-deterministic aspect about it. It suggests that man can learn from, and can build upon, the mistakes of others, in order to make for himself a better world.

In the end, both proponents, of each or either view, die.

So, whether one opts for the philosophical first option, or for the scientific second option, does it really matter to you, given that your death is as assured as mine?

Of course, the word "you" can also be broader than just you, or it can remain narrowly focused upon you and those like or with you. Your view of "you," therefore, affects your particular perspective.

What is your view of this subject?