The Uses of a Historical History of Philosophy
This chapter identifies the uses of a historical history of philosophy. There is an inherent interest in this sort of study, but there also may be an external interest in it, which is perfectly legitimate as long as it does not interfere with the study itself. That is to say that, though it would be inappropriate to let one’s philosophical interests interfere with one’s historical study of the history of philosophy, it nevertheless is perfectly appropriate to see whether the results of this study can serve one’s philosophical interests. The chapter begins by considering briefly the inherent interest of this sort of study. One thing which this sort of study does for us is that it gives us a reliable picture of what philosophy actually, empirically, has been from its beginnings to the present day. Whatever philosophical views one may have as to what philosophy is, or should be, here we see what it actually is, or at least what it presents itself as from the enlightened perspective of the historian. As to the possible external interests, there are a great number of them, some of which the chapter lists before focusing on the interest of most concern to philosophers; namely, the possible philosophical usefulness of a historical study of the history of philosophy.