Date of Award
6-1-1962
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Abstract
Since the late seventeenth century a lively debate has been in progress concerning the worth of history. Although professional historians no longer abuse their credit with the public, which as ceased seriously to question their veracity, the debate goes on. This historical Pyrrhonism of the seventeenth century was no based upon irresponsible skepticism; the fables, folk legends, and pure inventions preserved in the histories of the period had reduced history to a mere art form. The subsequent attempt to correct this situation, through it produced a reliable body of information, has tened to reduce history to a narrow objectivity that scarcely dares think for itself. Thus Voltaire remarked, with more moderation than he usually addressed to the subject, "The qualification in which historians are commonly defective is a true philosophical spirit..." For Voltaire, "true" philosophy begins with Bacon and Locke; hence the "true philosophy begins with Bacon and Locke; hence the "truce philosophical spirit' of which he wrote is the scientific spirit.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, K. Martin, "An inquiry into the effect of the intellectual revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries on the coming of the French Revolution" (1962). Student Work. 404.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/404
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Comments
A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Faculty of the Department of History University of Omaha In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts. Copyright 1962 K. Martin Johnson