Studying the past is the only way to understand it, and no one can accurately foretell the future. However, understanding the past allows us to make better predictions about the future. I know, sometimes the future laughs at us all, Der Drumph did become the president. Sigh.

Disagree. By the time we are able to think about something, it is already in the past.

If you are saying what I think you're saying, I disagree. Where it is true things that happen in the here and now create the past, the past provides us with guideposts and warnings we should consider in the here and now to avoid revisiting the past in the here and now.