Abstract

During the two decades preceding 1914, French academic historians were confident in the maturity of the historical craft. The academic philosophers at Paris, however, felt that French historiography suffered from the general trend toward specialization of knowledge. They argued that only a partnership between science and philosophy could combat this trend and lead to the "Synthetic Stage," the "truly progressive" stage of scientific work. Earlier "philosophers of history" were correct in their efforts to create laws and systems, but were unscientific because they resorted to metaphysics and a priorism. History could correct this flaw and make the synthetic stage possible. Henri Berr and his Revue de Synthèse Historique became the spokesmen for these philosophers. Despite the initial hostility of many scholars, Henri Berr and his journal became influential and along with Bloch and Febvre played a role in the development of the modern French historical school