Specifically:
First, it plays an indispensable and unique role in promoting the development of humanities, social sciences, thinking sciences, management sciences and other disciplines other than humanities.
Because there is no continuous development of history itself, and there is no history to change the sequence, integration and positivity of time from general requirements to in-depth concrete reality, the exploration of historical connotation by all other disciplines lacks the coordinates on which to exist and establish, and also lacks the motivation to deepen this exploration.
Second, it has a cognitive function, that is, it can provide people with the necessary historical knowledge to understand the reality and predict the future, so that people can clearly understand how human history and various things have developed and changed, what are the advantages and disadvantages now, and how they will develop in the future.
In other words, it can enhance people's historical vision, that is, be good at looking at problems from history and attach importance to historical conditions and factors.
The great philosopher Hegel attached great importance to history. He said, "We are who we are because we have history.
Engels once praised him and said, "Hegel's way of thinking is different from other philosophers, because his way of thinking is based on a great sense of history."
"If you lack a historical perspective and ignore historical factors, you will often see things easily, have an impatient or even impetuous psychology, pursue short-term effects, and cause mistakes in your work.
If you have a historical perspective, you will see the problem more comprehensively and consider it more carefully and comprehensively.
In the book The Role of History, a British historian once pointed out that "if a civil servant wants to rank among senior officials, history is the only way" because "history can provide a correct background for civil servants to deal with administrative issues", that is, it can cultivate a historical perspective and provide historical knowledge.
Third, it can be used for reference, that is, it can provide historical experience and lessons for people's practical activities, so that people can learn from history and avoid repeating the mistakes of human history.
China has always attached importance to summing up historical experience and has a fine tradition of learning from history.
In the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin once said: "A husband can know the rise and fall by taking history as a mirror; Take people as a mirror, you can know the gains and losses.
"By studying history, we can know what we should do, what we shouldn't do, how to deal with what we encounter and how to solve it, thus increasing our wisdom.
The famous historical work Zi Tong Zhi Jian provided historical reference for Qin Shihuang.
Liang Qichao once praised this book as the most beneficial to people's minds.
Polybius, a famous ancient Greek historian, also made it clear in his book History: "As far as political life is concerned, the best education and training is to study history.
In view of the mistakes of predecessors, there is no other way to teach people how to face difficulties bravely and overcome their destiny.
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Fourth, it has educational functions, including moral education, ideal education and historical vision education.
Some scholars say that history is a social textbook with many functions of social education and ideological nourishment. It is a powerful weapon for human beings to know the world, know themselves, transform the world and surpass themselves. Its core is to enlighten the mind and intelligent life, and make people sober, rational and mature.
Studying history plays a subtle role in improving people's humanistic quality, ideological realm, perfecting personality, cultivating sentiment, shaping a beautiful soul and learning to be a man.
From it, we can realize the pain and joy, frustration and victory of our ancestors in the process of pursuing their ideals and changing their destiny, and realize the meaning, value and dignity of life.
From the evaluation of historical events and people, we can vividly understand what is justice, progress and justice, and what is sublime, great and upright, which will help to establish a correct world outlook, outlook on life and values at a deeper level.
Some scholars even say that China's historiography has dual functions: one is to record historical facts; The other is to maintain the value of human relations, so there are many moral evaluations.
In other words, China's historiography "shoulders": the left shoulder carries historical facts; The right shoulder carries justice, so many people have different opinions.
Fifth, it also has special entertainment function, leisure function and recreational function, that is, you can spend your leisure time by studying history, and you can get pleasure and aesthetic taste from it.
Among these five functions, the middle three functions, namely the social function of history, are the most important.
Because history has a strong social function, rulers of all countries have always attached great importance to history.
Of course, its direct use is not as great as that of law, economics and other disciplines, and it is not easy for people who study history to find a job, but history is absolutely indispensable in the humanities and social sciences.