本书是20世纪上半叶英国著名哲学家、历史学家柯林武德的思想自传。柯林武德博学多才，一生涉猎诸多知识领域，在哲学、历史学、考古学、艺术、宗教、人类学等学科都有贡献，尤其是其历史哲学思想，在20世纪学术史上具有极其重要的地位。柯林武德在本书中记录他自己的学术发展历程，重点介绍了他的历史哲学思想的发展、成熟的过程，以及他独特的问答逻辑的研究方法。

The Idea of History is the best-known work of the great Oxford philosopher, historian, and archaeologist R.G. Collingwood. It was originally published posthumously in 1946, having been mainly reconstructed from Collingwood's manuscripts, many of which are now lost. This important work examines how the idea of history has evolved from the time of Herodotus to the twentieth century, and offers Collingwood's own view of what history is. For this revised edition, Collingwood's most important lectures on the philosophy of history are published here for the first time. These texts have been prepared by Jan van der Dussen from manuscripts that have only recently become available. The lectures contain Collingwood's first comprehensive statement of his philosophy of history; they are therefore essential for a full understanding of his thought, and in particular for a correct interpretation of The Idea of History itself. Van der Dussen contributes a substantial introduction in which he explains the background to this new edition and surveys the scholarship of the last fifty years. 'This is a big book, and a difficult one, but for anybody who takes history seriously, it is essential.' The Observer Review. Aug '94 'Welcome reprint of the classic lectures delivered by an Oxford philosopher-historian 60 years ago. A most influential book.' Good Book Guide, January 1995