Historical Representation

The writing of history aims to satisfy the demands of rational and scientific inquiry, but also has a literary and aesthetic aspect. This book aims to identify and to explore the juste milieu between the extravagances of the literary approach to historical writing and the narrowmindedness of empiricists. It argues that the traditional semantic apparatus of meaning, truth, and reference must be redefined if we are to understand properly the nature of historical writing. The author shows that historical representation is essentially aesthetic, though its adequacy can be discussed rationally. He defines the criteria for representational adequacy, and examines the relationship between these criteria and value judgments. He also investigates the historicist conception of historical writing and the notions of identity and narrativity. This investigation takes place against the backdrop of the ideas of four contemporary historical theorists: Erich Auerbach, Arthur Danto, Hayden White, and Jorn Rusen.