Robin G. Collingwood

Date of Birth: February 22, 1889

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: January 9, 1943

Biography

Robin George Collingwood (1889-1943) was an esteemed English philosopher and historian, known for his contributions to the philosophy of history and aesthetics. Collingwood was educated at Oxford, where he later became a fellow and lecturer. His work often intersected with his deep interest in archaeology and Roman Britain. Over his career, he developed a distinctive philosophical perspective that emphasized the role of human consciousness and the importance of historical context in understanding human experience. Collingwood’s major works include “The Principles of Art” (1938) and “The Idea of History” (published posthumously in 1946). His philosophy posited that history is a discipline governed by the re-enactment of past thought processes, rather than merely a compilation of events. This approach challenged the more scientific views of history that were prevalent during his time.

5 Interesting Facts about Robin G. Collingwood

1. Collingwood was also a talented archaeologist and contributed significantly to the study of Roman Britain.

2. His father, W.G. Collingwood, was an artist and antiquarian, which greatly influenced Robin’s intellectual upbringing.

3. Collingwood served as a lieutenant in the British Army during World War I, which deeply impacted his later philosophical work.

4. He was critical of the empirical approach to philosophy and promoted the idea of philosophy as a historical study.

5. Collingwood’s work has influenced a broad range of fields, including philosophy, historiography, and even art criticism.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Robin G. Collingwood

1. “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.”

2. “Every new generation must rewrite history in its own way.”

3. “The historian must re-enact the past in his own mind.”

4. “Art is the community’s memory.”

5. “Philosophy is the attempt to bring to light the presuppositions of all other disciplines.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Robin G. Collingwood’s net worth is not documented in the way that contemporary figures’ net worths are, as his era and field of work did not typically involve the accumulation of personal wealth in the modern sense. His contributions are measured more in terms of intellectual and academic influence.