The Essence of History
1st Edition
Published on 24. September 2025
Book
Hardback
200 pages
978-1-032-83630-0 (ISBN)
Description
This book brings together historical thinkers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds to offer original interpretations of the essence of history. It addresses why the essence of history itself cannot be so easily thematised or conceptualised.
Restating the question of the essence of history is necessary as it has been largely forgotten today. Since antiquity, history has been inextricably bound up with the problem of truth. Contemporary philosophy of history and historiography have branched out in many different directions. This complexity has made it nearly impossible for historical thinkers to engage outside of their own field. The relentless advancement of historical thought has almost completely neglected the question of the essence of history. The chapters in this volume respond to questions such as: What is history? What, in the "progress" of historical thought from antiquity to modernity, did we lose along the way? And what does it mean, if it means anything at all, to have history, to be historical?
The Essence of History will be of interest to scholars and graduate students working in philosophy of history, historical theory and historiography, and ancient history.
Restating the question of the essence of history is necessary as it has been largely forgotten today. Since antiquity, history has been inextricably bound up with the problem of truth. Contemporary philosophy of history and historiography have branched out in many different directions. This complexity has made it nearly impossible for historical thinkers to engage outside of their own field. The relentless advancement of historical thought has almost completely neglected the question of the essence of history. The chapters in this volume respond to questions such as: What is history? What, in the "progress" of historical thought from antiquity to modernity, did we lose along the way? And what does it mean, if it means anything at all, to have history, to be historical?
The Essence of History will be of interest to scholars and graduate students working in philosophy of history, historical theory and historiography, and ancient history.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
1 s/w Photographie bzw. Rasterbild, 1 s/w Abbildung
1 Halftones, black and white; 1 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
462 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-83630-0 (9781032836300)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Aaron Turner is the Assistant Director of the Knapp Foundation and a Research Associate at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the editor of Reconciling Ancient and Modern Philosophies of History (2020) and Heidegger and Classical Thought (2024). He is currently writing his monograph, Thucydides and the Ground of History.
Content
Introduction: What is called History? Part 1: Does History have an Essence? 1. The Essence of History 2. If History had an Essence, it wouldn't be History Part 2: History as Past, Past as History? 3. "The Past" is an Ambiguous Expression 4. Alain Badiou, the Metaphysics of the Event, and the Meaning of History 5. Time's Travellers 6. Historical Reflection and the Passive Presence of the Historical Past Part 3: The End of History? 7. Temporality, History and Crisis 8. Freedom and Homelessness: The Historical Ground of Political Life 9. The Last Consequences of Historical Consciousness