Corpus-Paul

[LeeEdgarTyler AT aol.com]

In a message dated 1/26/2005 12:19:47 P.M. Central Standard Time, jbrand AT gvsd.mb.ca writes:

From:               "David Hindley" <dhindley AT compuserve.com>
To:                 "'Corpus-Paul'" <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject:            RE: [Corpus-Paul] Romans 1-2:  Logos/Christos as Soter
Date sent:          Wed, 26 Jan 2005 02:35:40 -0700

> Toynbee's approach is the paramount example of what is now called
> "historicism," usually said with a sneer. It is the idea that
> universal laws about the rise and fall of civilizations can be deduced
> from the mass of historical data, and these laws can be used for the
> purpose of social engineering or at least to make predictions about
> the direction a nation is taking given certain historical
> circumstances (war, famine, disease, environment, governmental
> structure, etc). However, historicism has been severely challenged by
> the likes of Karl Popper.

John responds:
I am not sure how to address the ad populum fallacy "historicism'
usually said with a sneer" except to recall Wittgenstein's analogy of
the chess game i.e do we have any empirical basis for sneering at
other 'games' when the one that we have set up to play is merely a
construct developed apart from any outside benchmark?

Well, yes, when we can demonstrate  faults in the other games; but I should note that at least in my experience Toynbee is generally respected even though no one buys him. After all, these scholars were the products of their times and had to live and write within the constraints imposed by their milieus. Nonetheless, historicism is an approach riddled with sound reasons to reject if not sneer at it.

 

But a considerable body of scholarship has formed on this subject over the last 60 or so years, believe it or not.  I question the value of dwelling on people like Levi-Straus and Toynbee when there are so many works available that take into consideration knowledge that was not available to scholars two generations back or more.  I would be happy to provide some bibliography on this, because anyone who talks Levi-Strauss and Toynbee without mentioning in the same breath the last generation's work that modifies and even overturns them is headed for embarrassment.

 

Ed Tyler