The Tangled Tale of Two Worlds

 The Tangled Tale of Two Worlds

A brief history of the philosophy of history

We can easily define and differentiate between history and philosophy . On a surface level history is the branch of knowledge dealing with past events ,a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account, and philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. 

Although definitions may help us understand the basic ideas behind the two subjects , they do not give a clear picture of what history and philosophy truly mean.The definitions are too rigid , reality is not set into neat boxes but is miscible . At first glance the two seem very different , but as we look closer the borders between them seem to blur and become more illegible .

An example of the two subjects being entwined with one another can be seen in the phrase “philosophy of history” . Not to be confused with the history of  philosophy , which follows the past journey of philosophy .

The concept of history plays a fundamental role in human thought. It invokes notions of human agency, change, the role of material circumstances in human affairs, and the putative meaning of historical events. It raises the possibility of “learning from history.” And it suggests the possibility of better understanding ourselves in the present, by understanding the forces, choices, and circumstances that brought us to our current situation. It is therefore unsurprising that philosophers have sometimes turned their attention to efforts to examine history itself and the nature of historical knowledge. These can be grouped together into the term “philosophy of history.” This work is heterogeneous, comprising analyses and arguments of idealists, positivists, logicians, theologians, and others.

While we today , in the modern world , believe that history progresses in a linear manner , many ancient cultures held mythical concepts of time that were not linear . Such societies saw history as cyclical , with alternating dark and golden ages. A four age count matches Vedic ages known as the Satya , Treta , Dwapara and Kali yugas . 

There is disagreement about the extent to which history is ultimately deterministic (historical determinism). Some argue that geography (geographic determinism), economic systems (economic determinism), or culture (cultural determinism) prescribe "the iron laws of history" that decide what is to happen. Others see history as a long line of acts and accidents, big and small, each playing out its consequences until that process gets interrupted by the next.

While this topic is far too vast to be covered within a single article , it gives us an idea of how deep , rich and truly entwined they are with each other.