Source: “On the Resurrection: volume 1”: Evidences, 2024 by Gary Habermas Published by B&H Academic Brentwood, Tennessee.
Quest_for_Historical_Truth.mp4
1. The Philosophy Of History.mp3
This podcast delves into the philosophy of history, distinguishing between the traditional "speculative" approach that sought grand, unifying theories to explain the overall purpose and direction of history, and the more modern "critical" approach which focuses on theoretical questions about how we can know the past. The text highlights the inherent subjectivity in historical interpretation, acknowledging that historians' worldviews and biases inevitably influence their accounts, while also asserting that this does not preclude the possibility of ascertaining probable historical data through careful research and evaluation of evidence, much like in other inductive disciplines. Ultimately, the source suggests a synthesis has emerged, recognizing the limitations of subjectivity while still maintaining confidence in our ability to gain reliable, albeit probable, knowledge about past events.
Most of us learn about history as a collection of established facts. We memorize dates, names, and major events, treating the past as a settled story written in stone. History, in this common view, is simply what happened. The job of the student is to absorb this received information, and the job of the historian is to uncover it.
But what if this picture is fundamentally incomplete? The actual work of history is far more complex, subjective, and fascinating than a simple recitation of facts. The process of discovering, interpreting, and writing about the past is a dynamic human endeavor filled with intellectual challenges. It forces us to ask a profound question: What does it truly mean to "know" something that we can no longer see or touch?
This article explores four surprising takeaways from the philosophy of history that challenge our common assumptions. By understanding how historians actually work, we can gain a much deeper appreciation for what it means to make sense of the past—and our present.
1. History Isn't Just "What Happened"—It's Also the Story Told About It.
The discipline of history includes two distinct but inseparable components: the actual events of the past and the records, evaluations, and interpretations of those events. You cannot have one without the other. In fact, historians argue that there is no such thing as a "brute-fact event" that carries its own self-evident meaning. Every event requires context and interpretation to be understood.
For example, the signing of a treaty is an event, but its historical meaning is derived from the records, the motivations of the people involved, and the subsequent analysis by scholars. The event and the story about the event are inextricably linked. This distinction is crucial because it transforms history from a static list of facts into a dynamic human endeavor of sense-making. It is the active process of retrieving and imagining a past that can no longer be directly observed.