历史学的性质、方法、目标及其他——答成一农教授

The Nature,Methodology,Goal and Others of Historiography:In Reply to Professor Cheng Yinong

成一农教授通过批评历史学实证研究提出,历史事实不具有客观性,历史事实不可证明,历史学不可能求真也没有必要求真,历史学的目的是造成读者以为真实的说法来影响其行为。成一农教授论说的前述要点存在偏颇,需要仔细辨析。历史事实具有客观性,大量历史事实是可以证明的,历史学必须求真,造成读者以为真实的说法来影响其行为不是历史学的目的。成一农教授的论说方式中运用了误导性的自设闭环,多处自相矛盾,对历史学与科学哲学的关系、历史学论证的逻辑也有误解。

In his criticism of historical positive factual studies,Professor Cheng Yinong made several points,such as:historical facts are not objective;historical facts cannot be proved;historical studies cannot reach facts and there is no necessity to do so;and the goal of historical studies is to produce some sayings and convince people to believe they are true,therefore to influence people’s activities.This paper rejects all these opinions.It is argued that historical realities are objective in nature;many of them can be proved;history as a scholarship must seek for reality;and producing sayings to manipulate people is not the goal of history.Professor Cheng Yinong’s arguments are full of self-contradictions and make use of misleading self-designed logical loops.His understanding of the relationship between history and philosophy of science,and the logic of historical argument is also problematic.