试析曼德尔鲍姆对历史相对主义的驳论——基于历史知识客观性问题

An Analysis of Mandelbaum's Counter-Arguments on Historical Relativism:Based on the Question of the Objectivity of Historical Knowledge

在美国史学理论发展史上,20世纪30年代的历史知识客观性论争,在美国职业史学共同体内部持续发酵,最终促成围绕历史知识性质展开讨论的分析派历史哲学的诞生。以贝克尔和比尔德为代表的历史学家声言要与承继欧洲传统的史学决裂,以便建立适应现实的新史学。他们在史学理论上尝试运用美国的实用主义精神来改造克罗齐的历史哲学,并批判兰克式的客观主义史学。曼德尔鲍姆则深入到欧洲历史主义的传统中来澄清和批判他们历史相对主义的理论预设,并运用经验主义传统的概念和术语来分析历史知识的性质,尝试为历史知识的客观性奠定新的基础。虽然这场学术论争源自欧洲大陆的历史主义危机,但也鲜明地体现了美国史学理论发展的自身特征。

The 1930 smark a critical period in the debate over the objectivity of historical knowledge in the history of American historiography.This period witnesses a continuing debate among the community of American professional historians,directly leading to the birth of the school of analytical philosophy of history that focuses on examining the nature of historical knowledge.Confronting the changing situation,Carl Becker and Charles Beard,two representative figures in American historical studies,broke out of the constraints of traditional historiography,launching an effort to establish a'new history'conforming to reality.In the field of historical theory,they attempted to apply American Pragmatism to reform Croce's philosophy of history and criticized Ranke's claim of objectivity.Making an in-depth study of the European tradition of historicism,Maurice Mandelbaum clarified and then criticized Becker and Beard's theoretical premises,that is,historical relativism.Mandelbaum's use of the concepts and terminology of empirical tradition to analyze the nature of historical knowledge laid a new foundation for the objectivity of historical knowledge.Although this ongoing academic debate originated in the'crisis of historicism'on the Continent,it clearly reflects the features of the development of American historiography.