WHAT IS HISTORY?AND THE THEORIES OF HISTORY

WHAT IS HISTORY?AND THE THEORIES OF HISTORY

CONCEPTS

 History (from Greek, historia, meaning

"inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation"

 History covers the totality of past human actions and the narrative or account we

construct them now. These definitions open up two possible fields for philosopy of history.

 1. Critical philosophy of history:Critical

philosophy of history is the "theory" aspect of

the discipline of academic history, and deals

 with questions such as….

 what sort of a thing is history and how does it relate to other studies?

What is the nature of historical knowledge?

Truth and fact in history.

 Historical objectivity.

 History and science/etc.



 2. Speculative philosophy of history.

 Speculative philosophy of history is an area of philosophy concerning the eventual

significance, if any, of human history.

Furthermore, it speculates as to a possible

teleological end to its development—that is, it asks if there is a design, purpose, directive

principle, or finality in the processes of

human history.

 Philosophy of history or historiosophy is an area of philosophy concerning the eventual significance of human

history. It examines the origin, goal, pattern, unit, determining factors for the process, and the overall nature of history.

Furthermore, it speculates as to a possible teleological end to its development—that is, it asks if there is a design, purpose,

directive principle, or finality in the processes of human history.

 A philosophy of history begins with a few basic assumptions.

First, it determines what is the proper unit for the study of the human past, whether it is the individual subject, polis ("city"), sovereign territory, a civilization, culture, or the whole of the human species. It then inquires whether there are any broad patterns that can be discerned through a study of history, what factors, if any, determine the course of history, and the goal, destination, and driving force of history.

 Are there, for example, patterns of progress? Or cycles?

Is history deterministic? Or are there no patterns or cycles, and is human history regulated by irregularity?

 1. Cyclical:Many ancient cultures held a mytical

conception of history and time that was not linear. Such societies saw history as cyclical. This approach history holds to the belief of cyclical notion of time—which

meant that the passing of time is circular. There is an inevitable cycle of endless historical recurrence (not linearity)

 civilizations rise and fall, each new one rising to a

greater level.

 In the East cyclical theories of history

developed in China (as a theory of dynastic cycle) and in the Islamic world in the work of Ibn Khaldun.

 2. Linear:Linear History implies already the

acceptance or subscription to linear time. It

entails a history that is progressive, moving

forward and not having a cyclical return.

 3. Great Man: The ‘Great Man’ theory suggests that dominant personalities determine the course of history.

 4. Everyman: The ‘everyman’ view of history is one which sees history as being a record of the collective experience of the ordinary

person.

 5. Ideas: This view of history is one in which

the driving force in history is people’s ideas.

 6. Economic: The economic theory of history sees economic factors as the most important determinant of history.

 7. Other theories: Some historians suggest

that history is the result of geography, some

wars determine, some religion, some race…..