Overview

In Real History , Martin Bunzl charts a new direction for the philosophy of history. He proposes a synthesis between debates about objectivity among historians and recent philosophical arguments about realism. In his clear and direct style, Bunzl argues for an approach to history based on what historians actually do in contrast to what they say they are doing. Drawing on a broad literature including the works of Foucault, Geertz, Novick, Danto and Scott, the result is a new and exciting model for philosophy of history that casts objectivity and realism in a new light. Martin Bunzl merges two parallel debates in history and philosophy. In his wide ranging argument, he draws on relevant discussions ranging from: post-structuralism; to the philosophy of science; to the hermeneutic turn in anthropology; to debates about the history of women. Real History is fascinating and essential reading for students of both philosophy and history.

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9780415159616

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Reviews

... manages to go beyond some of the conventional limits observed by philosophers writing about history. <br>- Canadian Journal of History/Annales canadiennes d'histoire, December 1999 <br> Martin Bunzl's Real History provides a breath of fresh air in writing on the philosophy and epistemology of history. In language accessible to historians, philosophers, and the reading public more generally, he explores the questions posed by the various 'turns' of the post-war decades: deconstructive, linguistic, literary, anthropological, and quantitative. He looks not just at what historians say about their methods, but at what they actually do. His conclusions build upon the best roots in the current understanding of relativism in our knowledge of the past, while insisting on the responsibility of historians and readers toward matters of evidence and the social world in which they live<br>. <br>-Natalie Zemon Davis, author of The Return of Martin Guerre and Society and Culture in Early Modern France <br>

Author Information

Martin Bunzl is a Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University. He is also the author of The Context of Explanation.

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