History as Science
History as Science
History as Science - Events that have occurred in the past become a collective experience and memory by mankind. Therefore, history is very dependent on human experience. This experience is now recorded in various documents.
These documents are then examined by historians to produce historical writings. This historical writing then provides knowledge about the past. Unfortunately, recordings about the past are often incomplete to serve as material for compiling history. As a result, knowledge of the past is incomplete.
Although there are very basic differences, in fact there are also similarities between the science of history and the natural sciences. Both are arranged based on experience, observation and absorption. Thus it can be understood that history as a science is history that is written or studied through scientific processes and methods, so that a truth is obtained.
Characteristics of History as Science
As a science, history is no different from other sciences. History as a science has the following characteristics;
(1) Have object
The word object comes from the Latin objectus which means "in front of, the goal or goal", in this sense we will highlight it in terms of goals or objectives. History is often accused of being obscure. This is because history is usually categorized into the human sciences, because it has a human object. However, even though they have similarities in describing humans, historical studies are different from anthropology and sociology. The object of history is the change or development of human activity in the dimension of time (past) and time is the most important element in history.
So history has its own object which other sciences do not have specifically. If physics talks about physical time, then history talks about human time. Time in the view of history has never been separated from human activity. Therefore, the question of origin has always been the main topic of history. For example; about the entry of Hindu-Buddhist teachings, whether in the period before Christ or at the beginning of the beginning of the Christian era. Or for example regarding the entry of Islamic teachings in the Indonesian Archipelago, whether in the 7th century or in the 13th century, which certainly is not a problem for historians as long as the explanation is acceptable.
(2) Empirical
The word empirical comes from the Greek, emperia which means experience. History is very dependent on human experience recorded in documents. These documents are examined by historians and historians to determine a fact. The facts that have been determined are then interpreted or interpreted. From the interpretation of this fact, a historical writing will be produced.
Although there are fundamental differences with the natural sciences, history is the same as the natural sciences; The similarity is seen in the understanding that both history and natural science are based on experience, observation, and absorption. However, in the natural sciences the experiment can be repeated. Meanwhile, history cannot repeat the experiment. The Indonesian Revolution, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution cannot be repeated, these events only happen once and after that they are swallowed up by time and become the past. History only leaves documents. Another difference is that historical facts are human facts, whereas in the natural sciences, what are called facts are natural facts.
The differences between history and the natural sciences of course have their own consequences for history. History is often called unscientific because it is not part of the natural sciences. However, the way they work is not the same. The difference between history and the natural sciences does not lie in how they work, but in the object.
The natural sciences that observe objects are of course different from the history that observes humans. The difference between the two is like comparing the difference between humans and objects. Objects do not think, while humans think and have consciousness. It is understandable that the natural sciences produce natural laws that are generally accepted and certain, while history only produces generalizations that are not as certain as natural science.
(3) Have a theory
The word theory comes from the Greek word theoria which means reflection. Like other sciences, history also has a theory. Theory generally contains a collection of basic principles of a science. The natural sciences make nature the object, while the social sciences make society the object of research, so history has its own object, namely humans and time.
Although it has similarities with myth in that it speaks of time, history distinguishes itself from myth. Myth does not explain when something happened, while for history the explanation of that time is very important. History asks how people know time, knowledge of time is absolute or relative, ways to measure the truth of that knowledge, and models of historical explanation.
History has a long tradition, even longer than the social sciences. In every tradition there is a theory of history. In the science of history, this theory is also often referred to as critical philosophy of history. Historical theories include how to convey explanations and various models of historical explanations.
(4) Have Generalization
The word generalization comes from the Latin generalis which means general. Like any other science, history draws general conclusions. But keep in mind that conclusions for other sciences are nomothetic, while history is idiographic. Generalization of history is often a correction of the conclusions of other sciences.
Some examples of generalizations in history include:
1) Newly independent nations in Asia, Africa and Latin America after World War I faced various social, political and economic problems.
2) Shipping and commerce activities in the 13th century AD played a major role in the spread of Islamic teachings in Indonesia.
(5) Have method
The word method comes from the Greek, metohodos which means way. The historical method is a systematic set of principles and rules, intended to provide effective assistance in gathering material for history, critically assessing and presenting a synthesis of the results, usually in written form.
The historical method requires people to be careful. With historical methods, one cannot draw too bold conclusions. For example, with detailed research, history cannot conclude that the Red and White has been flying in Indonesia for 6000 years or the assumption that Indonesia has been colonized by the Dutch for 350 years which is not in accordance with historical reality. In the historical method there are four stages, namely heuristics, verification, interpretation and historiography.
Examples of History as Science
1. The theory of the entry of Hindu-Buddhist teachings into Indonesia
2. The theory of the entry of Islamic teachings into Indonesia
3. The theory of the origin of the ancestors of the Indonesian nation
4. Theory of the Formation of the Indonesian Archipelago