论胡适的历史方法

胡适的历史方法内涵展现在技术和精神两个层面上。在精神层面上,和杜威更多联系个体生存讲历史方法不同,胡适更多联系国家民族的生存讲历史方法,将历史方法视作经国救国之术。相比之下,胡适重点论述的是技术层面上的历史方法。它蕴涵的方法论原则是本质主义和历史主义。它与因果关系、进化论有着深层的关联,又和朴学与浙东史学的影响分不开。当然,它也有其内在的理论缺陷。

Hu Shi's Methodology of History

Hu Shi's methodology of history implied two aspects: technical and spiritual. In the spiritual aspect Hu Shi viewed his methodology of history more from the existence of nations and took his methodology as guides to administer the country and save the nation, as opposed to Dewey who viewed his own methodology of history more from the existence of individuals. Relatively speaking, Hu Shi was more concerned with his methodology in the technical aspect. It implied the methodological principles of essentialism and historicism. It had a close relation with causality and the theory of evolution, and was also influenced by the School of Pu Xue and Zhedong School of Historiography. However, it still had some dieoretical limitations.