论历史事实的概念及其理论误区——关于重建客观史学理论基础的反思

On the Concept and Its Theoretical Misunderstandings of Historical Facts: A Reflection on Rebuilding Theoretical Basis of Objective Historiography

历史事实概念是史学理论的关键概念,在国内史学界引发了许多反思。历史事实分层问题的讨论试图协调客观史学与历史相对主义的冲突,但这种分层就"历史事实"一词是自身悖谬的。贝克尔等人混淆了历史故事与历史事实,脱离前提混用了融贯论与历史意义论,并将历史认识个体主体化导致了历史相对主义。实证史学的目标并非再现历史事件,而仅仅是确立历史事实,并由此构成一个新的文本化的历史世界。在事实概念方面,陈嘉映的解说忽视了事件与事实在根本上是异质的,不能将后者视为对前者的"截取"。客观史学历史事实观念的重建,必须彻底放弃符合论和意识哲学,将历史事实视为指向确定性的对历史世界的文本重建,而不是直接作为论证和叙事的材料。

In the last three decades, as historical epistemology progresses, the traditional meaning of historical facts turns away from objective history to recognized history. Meanwhile, the basic beliefs of objective historiography have been battered as well. The discussion of layered meaning of historical facts attempt to harmonize the confliction of objective historiography and historical relativism, but the layered meaning of historical facts is paradoxical in term of＂historical facts＂itselL With Carl Becker~ s＂what are historical facts＇as example, this paper analyzes the ideas of historical facts of historical relativism, and points out that Carl Becker confounded historical facts and historical stories, mixed coherence theory and the theory of historical significance. The aim of positivist historiography is not to represent the past events, but to establish historical facts, then construct a new textual world of history. Moreover, this paper shows the essential heterogeneities of events and facts by refuting Chen Jiayin＇s explanation of the concept of facts, then indicates that facts are not the interception of events. Actually, for rebuilding the theoretical foundation of objective historiography, we have to give up correspondence theory and philosophy of consciousness and turn to the ideas of historical facts of coherence theory. It means that historical facts should not be regarded as the materials of argumentation and narrative, but text rebuilding of historical world which refers to certainty.