The Philosophy of History An Introduction [Paperback]

This is the definitive companion to the study of the philosophy of history. It provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to all the major philosophical concepts, issues and debates raised by history. Ideal for undergraduate students in philosophy and history, the structure and content closely reflect the way the philosophy of history is studied and taught.
The book offers a lucid treatment of existing approaches to the philosophy of history and also breaks new ground by extending the major debates in this area of growing philosophical interest. Subjects examined include: the centrality of historical language; objections to historical truth and realism; the relationship between the philosophy of history and the philosophy of science; historical interpretation and narrative; philosophical accounts of historical reasoning from the evidence. The text clearly presents and criticizes the arguments of the major philosophers and historians who have contributed to our understanding of the philosophy of history.

Mark Day's rigorous analysis is supplemented by useful pedagogical features, including key examples from historical and philosophical writing; summaries of core debates; study questions; and guides to further reading.

PrefacePart I: Evidence for the PastChapter One: An introduction to historical practice 1. The Past in the Present 2. The professionalisation of history 3. Relations with the Past 4. Forms of historical production 5. Further Reading and Study Questions Chapter Two: Historical methodology1. Scissors and Paste 2. Rules of historical reasoning 3. Peer reviews 4. A philosophical approach to historical reasoning 5. Primary sources 6. Further reading and study questions Chapter Three: Reasoning from the evidence1. Bayesianism 2. The limitations of Bayesianism 3. Explanation and interference 4. Unwinding the spool 5. Explanatory virtues 6. The preservation of testimony 7. Further reading and study questions Part II: HistlC+