Abstract
The
question
as to the existence of laws in
history
has
frequently
been discussed. A new
a discussion
may yet
be useful, since some mis-
conceptions based on incorrect comparisons
with the natural sciences have been
brought
forward
by
both advocates and
opponents
of
historical laws. We shall
try
to
clarify
the
problem by applying
a few ideas familiar to
physicists
and astronomers to the condi-
tions
peculiar
to
history. Physics
is the most mature of all
empirical
sciences as to method. In
physics
the
law-concept
has been used for three hundred
years.
It
may
be assumed,
therefore, that most of the difficulties in its
application
to other
fields have their
physical counterpart
and can be clarified most
easily
with the
help
of
physical concepts.
A few
preliminary
examples
of historical laws will be
given
towards the end of the
article