Relativism in German idealism, historicism, and neo-Kantianism

Abstract

This chapter traces the development of relativist ideas in nineteenth-century debates about history and historical knowledge. It distinguishes between two contexts in which these ideas first emerged. First, the early- to mid-nineteenth-century encounter between speculative German idealism and professional historiography. Second, the late-nineteenth-century debate between hermeneutic philosophy and orthodox neo-Kantianism. The chapter summarizes key differences between these two contexts: in the former, historical ontology and historical methodology formed a unity; in the latter, they came apart. As a result, the idea of universal history became increasingly problematic. In light of these differences, the chapter seeks to (partially) explain why it was only towards the late nineteenth century that historical relativism became an explicit concern.