How did Dilthey propose studying history?
I proposed that historical study should be conducted through 'hermeneutics,' the art of interpretation. Rather than simply seeking causal explanations, as in the natural sciences, we must aim to 're-experience' the past. This involves understanding actions and events from the perspective of those who lived them, by interpreting their expressions, institutions, and works. The historian, through empathy and familiarity with the workings of the human mind, can then comprehend the meaning embedded within historical phenomena.
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