Some questions in R. G. Collingwood's theory of historical understanding

Journal ArticleIn this essay I would like to examine some problems that are suggested to me by R. G. Collingwood's Philosophy; of historical understanding. My method of examination will be as follows: (1) to show that Collingwood's struggle to maintain his thesis that "history is the re-thinking of past thoughts" has involved him in unclear philosophic consequences and substantive problems of methods; (2) to present a discussion of the problems raised by Collingwood's distinction between historical understanding and historical explanation under general laws: (3) to show that these problems of consequence and method also relate to and affect his conception of non-deliberative acts and emotions