History as Higher Science: Uncovering the Non-Linear Evolution of Ideas and Intellectual Journeys
“History is not just a science, it’s an inspiration from the Divine.”
Introduction: The Dual Approaches to Analysis
One approach to analyzing a person’s thought, the one that is simpler and more common, is by studying their works according to their actual chronological order. This helps one to dive deeply into the origins of the person’s ideas, values and philosophies, and subsequent evolution of all of that over time. It provides a structured context for understanding what the person said and why they said it.
As historian J. B. Bury once remarked,
“History is a science, no less and no more,” emphasizing the precision and context required in this approach.
However, an alternative method involves studying an author’s works in a non-linear and random chronology. This approach requires more mental engagement and you start teaching yourself how to contextualise things and that too in a way that is eccentric and not part of the norm. As, it forces you to connect the dots and construct a picture of the person’s intellectual journey on your own.
You then arrange his life events, you write his biography in your own style, you change the ordinary lens of context and chronology of his worldview, his entire system of thought. This exercise of clubbing together all of these scattered fragments can be incredibly rewarding, providing a fresh perspective on their thoughts and ideas.
The Puzzle Analogy: Structured vs. Exploratory Analysis
Imagine a jigsaw puzzle that you have to complete. You are given its pieces that would fit together, and you are told the way of fitting them already. So in this case, there’s no new exploration and adventure. Compare and contrast it to the case when you don’t know anything about the puzzle and here your brain requires to put an immense effort to join all the pieces together. The experience in the second case would be more interesting and the consequent gratification that comes with it would be way more fruitful and lasting.
Know, that this methodology is not only applicable to the study of intellectuals and their journey, but on the whole – the entire landscape of social-scientific exploration. And that’s where the subtle and profound beauty of Social Science lies as a subject.
A Concise Case Study: Nietzsche and Dostoevsky
By randomly selecting works and analyzing them out of sequence, you can form your own hypotheses about the evolution of the authors’ ideas. For example, consider Friedrich Nietzsche and his concept of the Overman, the Übermensch — The Philosophy of Subjective Meaning. Reading his works out of order would challenge you to identify recurring themes, shifts in perspective, and the development of his philosophy in a way that is uniquely personal and intellectually stimulating. Once you have created this mental map, compare it with the actual chronology of his works. This comparison can reveal fascinating insights.
What if Nietzsche had developed his ideas about the Übermensch earlier in his career? How would this have influenced his subsequent writings?
And let’s talk about someone closely comparable to him- Fyodor Dostoevsky.
What if Dostoevsky had written “The Brothers Karamazov” before “Notes from Underground”? Would his exploration of theology and skepticism have taken a different trajectory?
This way of intellectual reconstruction not only enhances your understanding of the individual’s thought process but also highlights the importance of studying history.
The Role of History in Philosophical Evolution
As historian E.H. Carr observed,
“The function of history is to understand the past in order to understand the present.” By reordering an author’s works, you gain a new appreciation for the sequence in which ideas were presented and how that sequence shapes our understanding.
You might reach a point where you would become able to deconstruct all knowledge about a particular philosophy. You would very well be able to reconstruct it with a slightly different taste or with an entirely peculiar and distinct reinterpretation.
What could altering the context do for us? Of what significance could it be to the seeker of social sciences? What changes could it bring to the overall history of a thing in question?
You might infer what contradictions could have been made if the context would have been somewhat different. And this inturn would help in understanding how the person was able to maintain the logical coherence of his ideas and avoid the ‘instinctual crime of committing a fallacy.’
This would help in acknowledging the brilliance of the human minds, the significance of all factors combined, and this implicitly would add to ‘the Death of Author.’
Yes folks, I am making a case for History. But not for taking mere interest in it or embarking on a serious academic endeavour of it, but candidly speaking, to acknowledge ‘History as the Mother of Social Sciences’ or maybe ‘Of All Sciences,’ for that matter.
By considering how different chronologies could have influenced an author’s ideas, we can better appreciate the nuances of Philosophical Evolution. Furthermore, an understanding of broader historical development would reveal for us all the mistakes of the past. This, in turn, helps us avoid those mistakes that happened or were made to happen, and empowers us to make informed decisions for the future.
Thus, History is a higher science.
In his Al Muqaddimah, the Arab Historian, Sociologist and Philosopher, Ibn Khaldun said:
“History is an art of valuable doctrine, numerous in advantages and honourable in purpose; it informs us about bygone nations in the context of their habits, the prophets in the context of their lives and kings in the context of their states and politics, so those who seek the guidance of the past in either worldly or religious matters may have that advantage.”
I say:
“History is not just a science, it’s an inspiration from the Divine.”
Conclusion
As we challenge our minds to rethink the sequence of ideas and events, we open new avenues for intellectual discovery and contribute to a more distinct appreciation of the Human mind’s brilliance. Eventually, this methodology reaffirms the significance of History as not just a science, but sort of a Divine Inspiration that offers profound insights into the human condition, and thus becomes in itself the ‘Vade mecum of Our Future.’
