The question of who such a historian is is extremely important for understanding the specifics of historical science, since such an individual is its main representative. The peculiarity of his scientific activity lies in the fact that he, being a man, studies human activity and relations in general. Moreover, it is difficult for him as a scientist to remain objective, especially when studying the spiritual life of society.
The concept
Initially, the question of who such a historian was was understood in a descriptive sense . Indeed, at the time of the emergence of historiographic science, these people were engaged not so much in research as in the description of past events. However, they often accompanied their work with their own observations and observations, which can be seen in some of the beginnings of scientific analysis. Already in ancient times, the foundations of research methods of work began to emerge, which were fully developed in the Middle Ages and in the New Age. In these eras, the definition of who a historian is should be viewed from a different angle. In the first mentioned period, the authors focused on scholastic doctrine, so they can not yet be called scientists in the literal sense of the word. But already in the 16-17th centuries secular science was born, and history became a special discipline. Therefore, the very definition of who the historian is has changed. Now this term meant a scientific profession.
Features
To understand the expression in question, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the research work of historians. It has already been said above that the main object of their analysis is the results of human activity in all its manifestations. In this case, the subjective moment plays a very important role: after all, very often when assessing the phenomena of the past, the scientist gives his own vision of the problem. In this regard, the historian is largely based on personal observations. The definition of the word therefore must take into account the specified feature of the scientist's professional activity.
Methods
The basis of historian’s research is preserved documents of the past, which contain valuable information, as well as artifacts from which you can reconstruct models of dwellings, household items, etc. Therefore, the scientist uses a variety of research techniques and methods, not only humanitarian, but also natural mathematical sciences. So it is necessary to take this specificity of science into account when mentioning who the historian is. The definition of this concept should include a reservation to the fact that a scientist who studies the past often resorts to the methods of not only related sciences.
Theme
In the formation of historiographic discipline, political events were initially the focus of attention of the authors. As a rule, the compilers of the first historical works described wars, reforms of the rulers of their and neighboring countries, bypassing other important aspects of human life. In addition, some of them described the identities of kings, emperors, and generals (such as, for example, the famous compiler of the biographies of Plutarch).
But after some time, the authors came to understand the need to study other topics: economics, the social system, and the spiritual life of society. Scientists developed special research methods, and so the story from a description of past events turned into a science. However, the most important thing was that scientists came to understand the importance of their discipline. Special monographs began to appear on what history is.
Definitions of historians were the most diverse, but the point of view of the French researcher M. Blok is generally recognized.
Russian historiography
In our country, like the states of Western Europe, historical science originated from works in which events are set out by year (in foreign historiography they are called chronicles, in our science - chronicles). In these works one can already see the rudiments of what later became known as scientific analysis. Many authors not only described the events, but also tried to give them an explanation, identify the causes, determine the consequences and significance. As a science, history in Russia originated in the 18th century. The first historian-scientist is considered V.N. Tatishchev. He began to apply methods of scientific research, although he chose the annalistic form of presentation of the material. Therefore, his books were distinguished by a somewhat heavy language and were difficult for the ordinary reader to perceive.
The real breakthrough for Russian historiography was the work of N.M. Karamzin, who wrote his scientific work in a simple accessible literary language. The significance of his “History of the Russian State” lies in the fact that it aroused interest in the past of our country in society.
The development of historical discipline in Russia
A new stage of historiography in our country is associated with the name S.M. Solovyov, who began to study the events of the past not through the personality and actions of specific rulers, as his predecessor did, but as a natural objective process. His theory of the state and the development of society was of great importance for science, as it determined new requirements for the formation of a historian as a professional.
A new generation of researchers grew up on his works, who understood their task as revealing natural patterns in the past.
The most famous successor of his ideas was V.O. Klyuchevsky, who, however, developed his own research method. Thus, the historian, the definition of which was briefly disclosed in this review, is one of the most important professions in society.