--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is for human self-knowledge…the…" description: "\"“History is for human self-knowledge…the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/r-g-collingwood-2-53566_history_history-is-for-human-self-knowledge-the_1596125.jpg" --- # History is for human self-knowledge…the only clue to what… ![“History is for human self-knowledge…the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is.” quote by R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/r-g-collingwood-2-53566_history_history-is-for-human-self-knowledge-the_1596125.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/r-g-collingwood-2-53566_history_history-is-for-human-self-knowledge-the_1596125.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/r-g-collingwood-2-53566_history_history-is-for-human-self-knowledge-the_1596125.jpg) > ““History is for human self-knowledge…the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is.”” [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History provides self‑knowledge by showing past actions, which reveal human capabilities and character. **In simple terms:** History teaches us what people have done and who they are. Key Takeaway Study history to understand human potential. Themes history self‑knowledge human nature learning Mood thoughtful inquisitive educational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - research - policy making Key Concepts philosophy of history causality identity Questions to Reflect On - What lessons from history apply to today? - How does knowing past actions shape future choices? A Different Perspective Interpretations of history can be biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Self knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-knowledge/) [Value of history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-of-history/) ## Related quotes > [The value of history. ..is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-g-collingwood/the-value-of-history-is-that-it-teaches-us-what-man-has-done-and-thus/) [Robin G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-g-collingwood/) > [That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/that-is-the-supreme-value-of-history-the-study-of-it-is-the-best/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [The value of history is, indeed, not scientific but moral: by liberalizing the mind, by deepening the sympathies, by fortifying the will, it enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-becker/the-value-of-history-is-indeed-not-scientific-but-moral-by-2/) Carl Becker > [The practical value of history is to throw the film of the past through the material projector of the present on to the screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-practical-value-of-history-is-to-throw-the-film-of-the-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The value of history is, indeed, not scientific but moral: by liberalizing the mind, by deepening the sympathies, by fortifying the will, it enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-l-becker/the-value-of-history-is-indeed-not-scientific-but-moral-by/) [Carl L. Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-l-becker/) > [The whole value of history, of biography, is to increase my self-trust, by demonstrating what man can be and do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-whole-value-of-history-of-biography-is-to-increase-my-self-trust/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [History is for human self-knowledge. Knowing yourself means knowing, first, what it is to be a person; secondly, knowing what it is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-g-collingwood/history-is-for-human-self-knowledge-knowing-yourself-means-knowing/) [Robin G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-g-collingwood/) > [“History teaches us that man learns nothing from history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/history-teaches-us-that-man-learns-nothing-from-history/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [“Knowing yourself means knowing, first, what it is to be a person; secondly, knowing what it is to be the kind of person you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood-2/knowing-yourself-means-knowing-first-what-it-is-to-be-a-person/) [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) > [The perpetual stream of human nature is formed into ever-changing shallows, eddies, falls and pools by the land over which it passes. Perhaps the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/the-perpetual-stream-of-human-nature-is-formed-into-ever-changing/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [London imbued me with an appreciation of the beauty and value of history in general. As it has evolved and grown, the city has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-farr/london-imbued-me-with-an-appreciation-of-the-beauty-and-value-of/) [Hilary Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-farr/) > [“There is a moral to it. It teaches that a man defines himself by his make-believe as well as by his sincere impulses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/there-is-a-moral-to-it-it-teaches-that-a-man-defines-himself-by-his/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/adversity-teaches-a-man-a-lot-about-himself/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [Philosophy teaches a man that he can't take it with him; taxes teach him he can't leave it behind either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/philosophy-teaches-a-man-that-he-can-t-take-it-with-him-taxes-teach/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [If astronomy teaches anything, it teaches that man is but a detail in the evolution of the universe, and the resemblant though diverse details…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-lowell/if-astronomy-teaches-anything-it-teaches-that-man-is-but-a-detail-in/) [Percival Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-lowell/) ## More by R.G. Collingwood > [“The question what presuppositions underlie the 'physics' or natural science of a certain people at a certain time is a purely historical question as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood-2/the-question-what-presuppositions-underlie-the-physics-or-natural/) [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) > [“Thus natural science is not a way of knowing the real world; its value lies not in its truth but in its utility; by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood-2/thus-natural-science-is-not-a-way-of-knowing-the-real-world-its-value/) [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) > [“Knowing yourself means knowing, first, what it is to be a person; secondly, knowing what it is to be the kind of person you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood-2/knowing-yourself-means-knowing-first-what-it-is-to-be-a-person/) [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) > [“The progressive intellectualization of language, its progressive conversion by the work of grammar and logic into a scientific symbolism, ... represents not a progressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood-2/the-progressive-intellectualization-of-language-its-progressive/) [R.G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) [Explore all 5 R.G. Collingwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood-2/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“History is for human self-knowledge…the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. 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