The Philosophical Structure of Historical Explanation

Erscheinungsjahr 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8101-4087-5
Verlag: NORTHWESTERN UNIV PR

Buch, Englisch, 216 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 150 mm x 226 mm, Gewicht: 272 g

In The Philosophical Structure of Historical Explanation, Paul A. Roth develops an argument that resolves disputes persisting since the nineteenth century about the scientific status of history. He does this by showing why historical explanations must take the form of a narrative, making their logic explicit, and revealing how the rational evaluation of narrative explanation becomes possible.

The book also develops a nonrealist (irrealist) metaphysics and epistemology of history-that is, it argues that there exists no one fixed past but many pasts. It includes a novel reading of Thomas S. Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, displaying how Kuhn offers a narrative explanation of theory change in science. And it situates narrative explanations within a naturalistic framework.

The first four chapters defuse methodological and metaphysical objections to narrative explanations. The final three chapters explore how narrative explanations relate to other sciences. It will be of interest to researchers in historiography, philosophy of history, philosophy of science, philosophy of social science, and epistemology.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Roth, Paul A.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Moderne Philosophische Disziplinen Analytische Philosophie

Über Autor(innen)

Paul A. Roth is a distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Cruz.