What Is Intellectual History? (what Is History?)
by Richard Whatmore /
2015 / English / PDF
23.1 MB Download
What is intellectual history? Those who practice intellectual
history have described themselves as eavesdroppers upon the
conversations of the past, explorers of alien ideological worlds,
and translators between historic societies and our own, while their
critics have often derided them as narrow-mindedly studying the
ideas of dead white men. Some consider the discipline to be among
the most important in the humanities and social sciences because it
facilitates a better understanding of contemporary ideological
programmes and facilitates their rational evaluation.
What is intellectual history? Those who practice intellectual
history have described themselves as eavesdroppers upon the
conversations of the past, explorers of alien ideological worlds,
and translators between historic societies and our own, while their
critics have often derided them as narrow-mindedly studying the
ideas of dead white men. Some consider the discipline to be among
the most important in the humanities and social sciences because it
facilitates a better understanding of contemporary ideological
programmes and facilitates their rational evaluation.
In this engaging and refreshing introduction to the field, Richard
Whatmore begins by examining the historical development of
intellectual history, before dissecting its various methodological
debates. He presents various alternative ways in which we should
think about intellectual history, as well as presenting his own
very clear definition of the field. Drawing on a wide range of
historical examples, Whatmore shows how ideas - philosophical,
political, religious, scientific, artistic - originated in their
historical context and how they were both shaped by, and helped to
shape, the societies in which they originated. He ends by casting a
critical eye over the current state of intellectual history, and a
brief discussion of how it might develop in the future.
In this engaging and refreshing introduction to the field, Richard
Whatmore begins by examining the historical development of
intellectual history, before dissecting its various methodological
debates. He presents various alternative ways in which we should
think about intellectual history, as well as presenting his own
very clear definition of the field. Drawing on a wide range of
historical examples, Whatmore shows how ideas - philosophical,
political, religious, scientific, artistic - originated in their
historical context and how they were both shaped by, and helped to
shape, the societies in which they originated. He ends by casting a
critical eye over the current state of intellectual history, and a
brief discussion of how it might develop in the future.What is Intellectual History?
What is Intellectual History? will become an essential
textbook for scholars and students of intellectual history,
philosophy, politics, and the humanities.
will become an essential
textbook for scholars and students of intellectual history,
philosophy, politics, and the humanities.
