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In Praise of Subjectivity

Summary/Abstract: Frank Ankersmit argues that even in ancient times the historian's moral and political convictions affected the shape of his account of history. But other factors may also contribute to what we often describe as the historian's 'subjectivity' his favourite field of research, characteristic mannerisms of style, a particular way of conducting an argument and finally his own intellectual capacities and limitations. In his essay, Ankersmit invokes the traditional views of subjectivity and objectivity, and argues that they miss an essential point about the source of the actual problem with subjectivity, which lies in the logical proximity of (historical) truth and value. Ultimately, he claims that the interrelationship between the two (truth and value) is so intimate that in historical research they define each other. Thus value emerges as a useful and not infrequently indispensable guide to historical truth.

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