Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
Facta! Yes, Facta ficta! - A historian has to do, not with what actually happened, but only with events supposed to have happened: for only the latter have produced an effect. Likewise only with supposed heroes. His theme, so-called world history, is opinions about supposed actions and their supposed motives, which in turn give rise to further opinions and actions, the reality of which is however at once vaporised again and produces an effect only as vapour - a continual generation and pregnancy of phantoms over the impentetrable mist of unfathomable reality. All historians speak of things which have never existed except in imagination.
Summary
This quote suggests that historians base their work not on what actually happened, but on events and characters that are perceived to have happened. The author argues that history is comprised of opinions and interpretations of supposed actions, motives, and individuals, creating a continuous cycle of speculative narratives. According to the quote, historians deal with the elusive nature of reality, as they describe and analyze things that may never have truly existed, existing only in the realm of imagination.
Topics
Truth
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