The Ways of Understanding the Human Past (Part 12)

by D. P. Chattopadhyaya

It is widely acknowledged that if an idea expressed in one language is translated into another its meaning and its associated understanding undergo a change. The engligh word history is ordinarily translated as itihasa in the sanskrit rooted Indian languages. In the Euro American tradition hsitory is traced to the Greek word historia learning by enquiry narration of what is learnt.The work will be of interest to historians philosophers of history social scientists and Indologists. D.P. Chattopadhyaya is founder chairman of the Indian council of philosophy research (1981-1990) and president cum chairman of the Indian Institute of advanced study Shimla (1984-1991). Chattopadhyaya is currently the project director of the multidisciplinary 96 vol. Project of history of Indian science philosophy and culture and chairman of the centre for studies in civilization.