Contemporary Challenges to Historical Studies: In Search of a "Humanistic History" in an Era of Global Crisis

歷史研究的當代挑戰：全球危機時代中「人文的歷史」的探索

10.6163/tjeas.2011.8(2)79

Umesh Chattopadhyaya

全球危機 ； 新人文精神 ； 印度人文精神 ； 理性 ； 四重邏輯原則 ； 人文的歷史 ； 相連的歷史 ； 創傷與痛苦 ； 疏遠 ； 對話 ； Global Crisis ； New Humanism ； Indian Humanism(s) ； Reason ； Four-fold Logical Principles ； Humanistic History ； Connected History ； Trauma and Suffering ； Alienation ； Dialogue

臺灣東亞文明研究學刊

8卷2期（2011 / 12 / 01）

79 - 111

英文

本文探討在全球危機時代中將「人文的歷史」視為一種新歷史思維的可能性。它可做為新人文主義一面強調跨文化對話，一面強調整合差異的支柱。此新歷史思維的關鍵概念是理性與同情的「連結」與互補，情感最細微且最人性的狀態，可將感受帶向推理。有必要將精細的概念與方法納入人文精神與歷史兩方面，並且如果必要，對被具優勢的形而上學所支配的現代知識分子的思維進行調整。本文提出：傳統印度的四重邏輯系統，在範疇上遠較西方理性現存之邏輯系統寬廣，可被廣泛應用，以處理歷史問題。本文最後就三個議題討論人文歷史的本質：1. 有關相連的歷史的問題，2. 創傷與痛苦－情緒議題，如：災難的歷史經驗，可如何被併入專業歷史研究中，3. 某些印度當代社會問題，以及為抑止疏遠而進行對話的重要性。

This paper explores the possibility of a ”humanistic history” as part of a new historical thinking in an era of global crisis. It supports New Humanism emphasizing intercultural dialogue, one the one hand, and unity in difference, on the other. The key concepts in this new historical thinking are ”connection” and complementarity of reason and compassion, the finest and the most humane form of emotion that brings sensitivity to reasoning. There is a need to incorporate refinement of ideas and methods in both humanism and history and to make adjustments, if necessary, in the dominant metaphysics governing modernist intellectual thinking. It is suggested that the four-fold logical system of traditional India, wider in scope than the existing one in Western rationality, may be fruitfully applied to address historical problems. The paper discusses, in the end, the nature of humanistic history with reference to three issues: a) the question of connected history, b) trauma and suffering- how emotive issues like catastrophic historical experiences could be incorporated in professional historical studies, and c) some contemporary social problems in India and the importance of dialogue to curb alienation.

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