Historical Understanding

Book excerpt: Louis 0. Mink (1921–1983) was one of the world's leading theorists in the philosophy of history. His work in this area, however, was published mostly as essays in journals and anthologies, and has not been collected until now. Historical Understanding brings together twelve of his essays (two of them previously unpublished) that share a concern with the nature of historical understanding. Mink takes up issues that dominate current discussions in the philosophy of history: the distinctive nature of historical understanding, the relation of history to natural science and to fiction, and the cognitive status of narratives. His conclusions, presented here within a broad epistemological context, constitute a powerful argument for the autonomy of historical understanding. Lucidly written and richly illustrated with examples, this volume will be welcomed by a wide range of readers interested in philosophy, the theory of history, and literary theory.