­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The Philosophy of history:

The theoretical aspect of history is referred under the umbrella term philosophy of history which has two distinguishing senses. One, the critical Philosophy of history which deals with queries like the degree to which the objectivity is possible, what is the nature of historical evidence like that. On the other hand the eventual significance of human history is concerned by an area of philosophy which is called speculative philosophy.

To the development of speculative philosophy, it speculates to a possible teleological end. It looks for a purpose, design, finality, or directive principle in the human history processes. Even a part of Marxism can be said as speculative philosophy of history. These two philosophies of history can easily be distinguished though they overlap with each other.

Historiography sometimes includes the philosophy of history. One important to be remembered is Philosophy of history is not history of philosophy. So, they should not be confused. History of philosophy denotes the growth of philosophical ideas in accordance with time.

There are three basic questions which are asked frequently by the speculative philosophy of history.

Using what proper unit the human past can be studied. Is it the culture or civilization?  The individual subject?  The sovereign territory or polis ("city")?  Or by studying the complete human species?

Can the study of the human past lead us to discern any broad patterns? Are there, for example, cycles? Or patterns of progress? Is history deterministic? Or is human history random and are there no patterns or cycles? The study of individual agency is related to this philosophy and its impact in history.

If there is a progression noticed in history and said that it is progressing, what is the direction of the progression? What is the driving force of that progress?

Aristotle’s argument in Poetics that poetry is superior to history and should be given more importance than history. He argued that history tells us what is true but poetry goes a step further by telling what should be true. Ennobling the world has been felt as the major duty by the classical historian. With an eye on the improving the reader morally Plutarch chose many historical figure inventing many speech for the historical figures.

In the philosophy of history, there has been alternate concentration on subjects related to improving mankind and subjects on the devotion to fact. The hagiographies of monarch, the epic poetry, the Song of Roland, the Iberian Peninsula are the main components of history.

Questions:

• What is the Philosophy of History?
• What is Aristotle’s contribution to the philosophy of history?