The first type of history that I will explain is linear history. This type of history theory is similar to a time line. The easiest way to explain this is that something occurs and then something else occurs after the first. The two occurrences are linked because the second occurrence happened because the first occurrence took place. In other words there was a cause and than its effect occurred afterwards. This type of history is more commonly accepted in the West. The implication of this theory is that we only have one chance to do things right. This idea is backed up in Christian religious teaching and also by the Holy Bible. The Christian religion does not believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is a form of cyclical History which I will explain later in this essay. This idea is not universal among all people. I do not believe that this is the correct type of history because it does not account for why the historical instances occur when they do (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_history).
The second type of history is cyclic history. This theory has a repeating cycle of occurrences. It is more common is the East. In some cultures cyclical history is not only the reoccurrence of events, it also can include reincarnation. This means that a person is born, dies, and then is reincarnated into another body. With this theory of history it is impossible to decide where it should begin. This is why it is a never ending repeating cycle. It is impossible to tell if you are born first because you cannot be born without being reincarnated, you cannot be reincarnated without dying, and you cannot die without being born. The implication of this theory is that people can be reborn until they do right in the world. This theory is backed up by the Buda’s teachings and India’s ancient calendar made up of four ages that make up the Great Year. The Great Year is said to last over 4 million normal solar years and is characterized by growth in the power of evil. Human experiences can be similar which makes us think that history is repeating itself, when it really is not. I do not believe that cyclical history is the correct type of history because it has little evidence in its favor. It doesn'texplain the causes of historical events or why they would be repeating (http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw01cyclicalhistorylinear.htm).
The third type of history is Hegelian’s theory of history. This theory was thought of by the German philosopher and historian, George Frederick Hegel (see #1 picture on the left from http:/
/commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SBZ_1948_225_Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel.jpg). This theory uses an equation to explain history. It is Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis. This theory shows that a situation leads to another situation and those two situations lead to one out of many possible outcomes. The implication of this theory is that a small occurrence can add up to create a much larger outcome that effects many others and history itself. An example of this was when Hegel explained the Louis XVI’s rule over France is a thesis which led to the French Revolution. That war was the antithesis and both of those created the synthesis of Napoleon reconciling the revolution. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis). This theory does a good job explaining how things add up to affect the course of History but doesn't explain any patterns that might occur.The fourth type of history is the vortex theory. I think that this theory of history as a vortex is correct because history acts more like what this theory describes. That idea of history can be explained by using a funnel as a symbol of how history behaves. At the beginning, the funnel is thin and narrow. Over time the funnel begins to get wider. It will continue to grow until it reaches its maximum size. After that is will get skinnier and skinnier until it stops shrinking. Then is continues to grow larger again. This was thought of by William Butler Yeats (see # 2 picture on the left from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Butler_Yeats_1.jpg) and is similar to what happens to an accordion. It took William Butler Yeats many years to put together his hypothesis so that is could be accepted by the world. It explains that history goes from larger to smaller events and then larger or even smaller to larger and then smaller. This is like how the Roman Empire was nonexistent, became a superpower, and then fell. The empire goes from small to large and then small. The implication of this theory is all of man’s civilizations are founded, grow, and then when it is their time they will collapse because nothing can stay the same forever. The fluxuations of civilizations show the high and low points of the vortex and is always changing (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38).
This theory best describes the flow of History from the high to the low points of civilization.All of the theories have a different way to explain how history works. The linear theory of history explains that history is a line with a beginning and end that does not repeat. The cyclical theory of history explains that history is either a repeating circle of life or in some religions different stages in a long calendar. The Hegel theory of history explains that history starts with two related events that can form many possible outcomes. Finally the vortex theory of history explains that history is not something that repeats or is a line but is an accordion that shows the high and low points of civilization in the world. It is like a wave with the highest point at the crest and the lowest point at the trough. I believe that the vortex theory is the most accurate of all the theories because it describes consistently what happens to civilizations and explains their beginning, growth, and collapse. I don't believe that a circle with repeating cycles could describe this type of history or even a straight line with a beginning, middle, and end because they leave out the smaller details like the fluxuation of human civilizations including their growth and collapse. I believe that Hegel’s theory also cannot properly describe history because his theory only explains how two related occurrences and lead to an outcome. The importance of Hegel’s hypothesis continues to affect our way of thinking to this day.
Sources:
Cyclical and Linear History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw01cyclicalhistorylinear.htm
History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History
Philosophy of History. Web. 27 Jan. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_history
Thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis
William Butler Yeats' Gyre System. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/57550/william_butler_yeats_gyre_system.html?cat=38
Picture source:
SBZ 1948 225 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.jpg. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SBZ_1948_225_Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel.jpg
William Butler Yeats 1.jpg. Web. 27 Jan. 2010.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Butler_Yeats_1.jpg
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