The Idea of History [1946 Edition]

The Idea of History (1946) is a book of philosophy that explores the nature of history and the historian's interpretation of it. Written by English historian, archaeologist, and philosopher R.G. Collingwood, the work encourages students of history to go beyond events into the motivations of the actors themselves. R.G. Collingwood (b. 1889, d. 1943) was the son of an artist/archaeologist father and artist/pianist mother. Showing an aptitude for the classics and history from an early age, he was recognized at school in Classic Moderations (representing fluency in Greek and Latin) as well as ancient history and philosophy. He soon entered academia and spent his entire professional life at Oxford. In fact, he was elected a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford before he even graduated from University College. Later, he became the Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at the Magdalen College, Oxford. While his teaching work focused on philosophy, he was also a well-known