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History’s Movement

The Historical Ontology in Social Ontology

Authors

Bennett Gilbert Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA, bbg2@pdx.edu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5216/rth.v28i1.80494

Keywords:

Ethics , Moral philosophy , Social ontology , Historicity , Critical theory , Personalism , Phenomenology , Philosophy of history, Pragmatism , Josiah Royce , Emmanuel Levinas

Abstract

Social ontology and the philosophy of history both concern themselves with human collectives. Social ontology is supposed to be theoretical, although the social sciences are supposed to be empirical. Philosophy of history is supposed to be theoretical, although historiography is supposed to be empirical. In fact, the a priori and the a posteriori mix in both theoretical and empirical endeavors in similar ways. Since the two endeavors hold part of their objects of inquiry in common, they should be able to speak to another. In what follows I aim to expose some of the ways their dialogue stresses and can nourish them both. Critical social ontology can enhance the moral purchase of social ontology. Re-conceiving ontology for social ontology must rely on developing an orientation toward diachronesis and history.

Author Biography

Bennett Gilbert, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA, bbg2@pdx.edu

CV: https://philpeople.org/profiles/bennett-gilbert

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Published

2025-08-15

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2025-08-18 (2)
2025-08-15 (1)

How to Cite

GILBERT, Bennett. History’s Movement: The Historical Ontology in Social Ontology. Revista de Teoria da História, Goiânia, v. 28, n. 1, p. 1–19, 2025. DOI: 10.5216/rth.v28i1.80494. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/teoria/article/view/80494. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.