ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book concentrates on how history works and what has to be done to do history. History is the study of the Past that has a numinous, mythical authority since it legitimizes in various ways the basis of human self-understanding. Studying history, writing history, are held to be conducive to the process of civilization because as truthful practices are stand guard over the liberal-democratic principles. History is the guarantor that human existence means something, anything: to invalidate history is, therefore, something inhuman. The demand for meaningful existence comes from the intentional nature of consciousness. Historical knowledge is, late knowledge: it comes afterwards, in the aftermath, as an after-thought. Knowledge is power, with its indefinite field of operation, its unlimited jurisdiction, its comprehensive reach, and its transcendental scope, the cognitive potential of the historian's non-special situation already makes it authoritative.