N\u1ebfu ch\u00fang ta c\u00f3 c\u01a1 h\u1ed9i theo d\u00f5i c\u00e1c t\u00e1c ph\u1ea9m tri\u1ebft h\u1ecdc l\u1ecbch s\u1eed hi\u1ec7n \u0111\u1ea1i c\u1ee7a c\u00e1c t\u00e1c gi\u1ea3 n\u1ed5i ti\u1ebfng nh\u01b0 Hayden White, Robert F. Berkhofer, Barbara Tuchman, David McCullough, Louis Mink, Fredrich Jameson, Herbert J. Mueller, Paul Ricoeur, W.H. Walsh, Lucas M. Gisi, \u0111a s\u1ed1 ch\u01b0a h\u1ec1 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c gi\u1edbi thi\u1ec7u hay th\u1ea3o lu\u1eadn trong h\u1ecdc gi\u1edbi Vi\u1ec7t Nam, ch\u00fang ta th\u01b0\u1eddng th\u1ea5y c\u00e1c t\u00e1c gi\u1ea3 n\u00f3i tr\u00ean nh\u1ea5n m\u1ea1nh m\u1ed1i quan h\u1ec7 m\u1eadt thi\u1ebft gi\u1eefa v\u0103n h\u1ecdc v\u00e0 s\u1eed h\u1ecdc. C\u00e1c t\u00e1c ph\u1ea9m s\u1eed h\u1ecdc, theo quan \u0111i\u1ec3m c\u1ee7a h\u1ecd, th\u01b0\u1eddng s\u1eed d\u1ee5ng, m\u00e0 kh\u00f4ng \u00fd th\u1ee9c, c\u00e1c c\u00f4ng c\u1ee5 tr\u1ea7n thu\u1eadt trong v\u0103n h\u1ecdc khi tr\u00ecnh b\u00e0y c\u00e1c di\u1ec5n bi\u1ebfn l\u1ecbch s\u1eed. Ta th\u1ea5y r\u1ea5t r\u00f5 \u0111i\u1ec1u n\u00e0y khi \u0111\u1ecdc T\u01b0 M\u00e3 Thi\u00ean, Gibbon, Michelet, Taine, Spengler, Toynbee, Durant. N\u1ebfu g\u1ecdi t\u00e1c ph\u1ea9m c\u1ee7a h\u1ecd l\u00e0 c\u00e1c ki\u1ec7t t\u00e1c v\u0103n h\u1ecdc th\u00ec c\u0169ng kh\u00f4ng xa s\u1ef1 th\u1eadt bao nhi\u00eau. B\u1ea3n th\u00e2n Arnold J. Toynbee, m\u1ed9t s\u1eed gia Anh ki\u1ec7t xu\u1ea5t, c\u0169ng vi\u1ebft: \u201cS\u1ef1 ch\u1ecdn l\u1ecdc v\u00e0 s\u1eafp x\u1ebfp c\u00e1c y\u1ebfu t\u1ed1 th\u1ef1c t\u1ebf \u0111\u01a1n thu\u1ea7n l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ph\u01b0\u01a1ng ph\u00e1p h\u01b0 c\u1ea5u, v\u00e0 quan \u0111i\u1ec3m ph\u1ed5 bi\u1ebfn cho r\u1eb1ng kh\u00f4ng m\u1ed9t s\u1eed gia n\u00e0o c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c xem l\u00e0 v\u0129 \u0111\u1ea1i n\u1ebfu b\u1ea3n th\u00e2n \u00f4ng ta kh\u00f4ng ph\u1ea3i l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ngh\u1ec7 s\u0129 v\u0129 \u0111\u1ea1i.\u201d<\/strong> (Nghi\u00ean c\u1ee9u v\u1ec1 l\u1ecbch s\u1eed nh\u00e2n lo\u1ea1i<\/em>, NXB. V\u0103n h\u00f3a th\u00f4ng tin, H\u00e0 N\u1ed9i, 2008, tr.55).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arnold J. Toynbee (1889-1975) l\u00e0 t\u00e1c gi\u1ea3 c\u1ee7a b\u1ed9 s\u00e1ch v\u0129 \u0111\u1ea1i Nghi\u00ean c\u1ee9u v\u1ec1 l\u1ecbch s\u1eed<\/em> (A Study of History<\/em>) g\u1ed3m c\u00f3 12 t\u1eadp. N\u1ebfu so s\u00e1nh \u00f4ng v\u1edbi Will Durant, m\u1ed9t s\u1eed gia ng\u01b0\u1eddi M\u1ef9 n\u1ed5i ti\u1ebfng kh\u00f4ng k\u00e9m v\u00e0 r\u1ea5t \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c \u01b0a chu\u1ed9ng t\u1ea1i Vi\u1ec7t Nam, ch\u00fang ta th\u1ea5y ngay s\u1ef1 kh\u00e1c bi\u1ec7t. Will Durant c\u00f3 m\u1ed9t v\u0103n phong b\u00ecnh d\u00e2n, gi\u1ea3n d\u1ecb, \u0111\u00f4i khi h\u00f3m h\u1ec9nh, \u0111\u1ecdc r\u1ea5t h\u1ea5p d\u1eabn kh\u00f4ng thua k\u00e9m g\u00ec \u0111\u1ecdc ti\u1ec3u thuy\u1ebft (ch\u1ea3 th\u1ebf m\u00e0 c\u1ed1 h\u1ecdc gi\u1ea3 Nguy\u1ec5n Hi\u1ebfn L\u00ea b\u1ecf c\u00f4ng d\u1ecbch kh\u00e1 nhi\u1ec1u t\u00e1c ph\u1ea9m c\u1ee7a \u00f4ng, v\u00e0 g\u1ea7n \u0111\u00e2y c\u00f3 d\u1ecbch gi\u1ea3 B\u00f9i Xu\u00e2n Linh c\u0169ng th\u1ebf), nh\u01b0ng Toynbee th\u00e2m tr\u1ea7m h\u01a1n. V\u0103n phong \u00f4ng c\u00f3 n\u00e9t b\u00e1c h\u1ecdc, ch\u1eefng ch\u1ea1c, quen thu\u1ed9c v\u1edbi gi\u1edbi s\u1eed gia truy\u1ec1n th\u1ed1ng, m\u1eb7c d\u00f9 kh\u00f4ng h\u1ec1 \u201ckh\u00f4 nh\u01b0 ng\u00f3i\u201d (dry as dust) nh\u01b0 nhi\u1ec1u ng\u01b0\u1eddi nh\u1eadn x\u00e9t. H\u01a1n n\u1eefa, \u00f4ng vi\u1ebft s\u1eed \u0111\u1ec3 minh h\u1ecda cho tri\u1ebft h\u1ecdc v\u1ec1 l\u1ecbch s\u1eed c\u1ee7a m\u00ecnh, do \u0111\u00f3 n\u1ebfu c\u00f3 xem \u00f4ng l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t tri\u1ebft gia th\u00ec c\u0169ng ch\u1eb3ng xa s\u1ef1 th\u1eadt bao nhi\u00eau. \u0110i\u1ec1u \u0111\u1ea7u ti\u00ean \u0111\u00e1ng ghi nh\u1eadn nh\u1ea5t trong c\u00f4ng tr\u00ecnh s\u1eed h\u1ecdc kh\u1ed5ng l\u1ed3 c\u1ee7a Toynbee l\u00e0 \u00f4ng nh\u1ea5n m\u1ea1nh vi\u1ec7c nghi\u00ean c\u1ee9u l\u1ecbch s\u1eed, n\u1ebfu ch\u1ec9 h\u1ea1n ch\u1ebf trong \u0111\u01a1n v\u1ecb qu\u1ed1c gia, th\u00ec thi\u1ebfu \u0111i t\u00ednh to\u00e0n di\u1ec7n c\u1ea7n thi\u1ebft \u0111\u1ec3 th\u1ea5u hi\u1ec3u b\u1ea3n ch\u1ea5t v\u1eadn \u0111\u1ed9ng c\u1ee7a l\u1ecbch s\u1eed. \u0110\u1eb7c bi\u1ec7t l\u00e0 khi t\u00ecm hi\u1ec3u l\u1ecbch s\u1eed Ch\u00e2u \u00c2u. Lu\u1eadn \u0111i\u1ec3m th\u1ee9 hai c\u1ee7a Toynbee, \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c nhi\u1ec1u ng\u01b0\u1eddi bi\u1ebft \u0111\u1ebfn h\u01a1n, l\u00e0 lu\u1eadn \u0111i\u1ec3m \u201cth\u00e1ch \u0111\u1ed1 v\u00e0 \u0111\u00e1p \u1ee9ng\u201d (challenge and response). Lu\u1eadn \u0111\u1ec1 n\u00e0y kh\u00e1 \u0111\u01a1n gi\u1ea3n: m\u1ed9t x\u00e3 h\u1ed9i b\u1ea5t k\u1ef3 n\u00e0o \u0111\u00f3 lu\u00f4n lu\u00f4n ph\u1ea3i \u0111\u1ed1i m\u1eb7t v\u1edbi m\u1ed9t lo\u1ea1i th\u00e1ch \u0111\u1ed1 n\u00e0o \u0111\u00f3, n\u1ebfu v\u01b0\u1ee3t qua \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c, ngh\u0129a l\u00e0 c\u00f3 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c m\u1ed9t \u201c\u0111\u00e1p \u1ee9ng\/ gi\u1ea3i quy\u1ebft\u201d ph\u00f9 h\u1ee3p th\u00ec m\u1edbi c\u00f3 c\u01a1 h\u1ed9i ti\u1ebfp t\u1ee5c v\u01b0\u01a1n l\u00ean v\u00e0 ph\u00e1t tri\u1ec3n<\/strong>. \u0110\u00e2y ch\u00ednh l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t lo\u1ea1i ti\u1ebfn h\u00f3a lu\u1eadn theo m\u00f4 h\u00ecnh Darwin \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c \u00e1p d\u1ee5ng v\u00e0o l\u00e3nh v\u1ef1c tri\u1ebft h\u1ecdc l\u1ecbch s\u1eed. C\u00f3 l\u1ebd kh\u00f4ng ph\u1ea3i l\u00e0 vi\u1ec7c ng\u1eabu nhi\u00ean khi h\u1ea7u h\u1ebft nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi ch\u1ee7 tr\u01b0\u01a1ng ti\u1ebfn h\u00f3a lu\u1eadn \u0111\u1ec1u l\u00e0 \u0111\u1ed3ng h\u01b0\u01a1ng c\u1ee7a Toynbee: Thomas Huxley, Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, v\u00e0 g\u1ea7n \u0111\u00e2y nh\u1ea5t l\u00e0 Richard Dawkins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do nh\u1eadn th\u1ea5y b\u1ed9 s\u00e1ch 12 t\u1eadp c\u1ee7a Toynbee qu\u00e1 \u0111\u1ed3 s\u1ed9 n\u00ean kh\u00f3 nu\u1ed1t v\u1edbi ph\u1ea7n l\u1edbn \u0111\u1ed9c gi\u1ea3, D.C. Somervell \u0111\u00e3 b\u1ecf c\u00f4ng s\u1ee9c t\u00f3m g\u1ecdn l\u1ea1i b\u1ed9 s\u1eed n\u00e0y th\u00e0nh 2 t\u1eadp v\u00e0 C\u00f4ng ty V\u0103n H\u00f3a V\u0103n Lang \u0111\u00e3 cho ra \u0111\u1eddi b\u1ea3n d\u1ecbch c\u1ee7a t\u1eadp 1 (ri\u00eang ph\u1ea7n n\u00e0y kh\u00f4ng \u0111\u00e3 chi\u1ebfm \u0111\u1ebfn 703 trang s\u00e1ch kh\u1ed5 l\u1edbn). \u0110\u00e2y l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t k\u1ef3 c\u00f4ng \u0111\u00e1ng ca ng\u1ee3i v\u00ec m\u1ea5y ai trong th\u1eddi \u0111\u1ea1i t\u1ea5t b\u1eadt hi\u1ec7n nay l\u1ea1i ch\u1ecbu kh\u00f3 b\u1ecf th\u1eddi gian \u0111\u1ecdc s\u00e1ch l\u1ecbch s\u1eed, nh\u1ea5t l\u00e0 l\u1ecbch s\u1eed Ch\u00e2u \u00c2u, nh\u01b0ng theo t\u00f4i, c\u00f9ng chia s\u1ebb quan \u0111i\u1ec3m v\u1edbi Toynbee, cho r\u1eb1ng \u0111\u1ec3 hi\u1ec3u \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c v\u1eadn \u0111\u1ed9ng l\u1ecbch s\u1eed c\u1ee7a Vi\u1ec7t Nam kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 kh\u00f4ng t\u00ednh \u0111\u1ebfn vai tr\u00f2 c\u1ee7a l\u1ecbch s\u1eed Ch\u00e2u \u00c2u, trong \u0111\u00f3 c\u00f3 l\u1ecbch s\u1eed c\u1ee7a Anh, Ph\u00e1p, M\u1ef9 c\u00f3 quan h\u1ec7 tr\u1ef1c ti\u1ebfp \u0111\u1ebfn s\u1eed m\u1ec7nh c\u1ee7a d\u00e2n t\u1ed9c. <\/p>\n\n\n\n M\u1ed9t sinh vi\u00ean trong m\u1ed9t cu\u1ed9c t\u1ecda \u0111\u00e0m v\u1ec1 s\u1eed lu\u1eadn \u0110\u00f4ng T\u00e2y c\u00f3 n\u00eau c\u00e2u h\u1ecfi: \u201cV\u1eady gi\u00e1 tr\u1ecb gi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c c\u1ee7a s\u1eed h\u1ecdc l\u00e0 g\u00ec? V\u00e0 ch\u00e2n l\u00ed l\u1ecbch s\u1eed l\u00e0 g\u00ec?\u201d Tr\u01b0\u1edbc h\u1ebft, b\u00e0n v\u1ec1 gi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c, t\u00f4i xin m\u01b0\u1ee3n l\u1eddi John Dewey, m\u1ed9t tri\u1ebft gia M\u1ef9: \u201cGi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c kh\u00f4ng ch\u1ec9 gi\u1eef<\/em> cho m\u1ed9t c\u00e1 th\u1ec3 kh\u1ecfi b\u1ecb gieo v\u00e0o \u0111\u1ea7u \u00f3c nh\u1eefng thi\u00ean h\u01b0\u1edbng sai l\u1ea7m tai h\u1ea1i, th\u00f3i suy ngh\u0129 h\u1ed3 \u0111\u1ed3, ng\u1ea1o m\u1ea1n, v\u00e0 s\u01b0 \u01b0u \u00e1i \u0111\u1ed1i v\u1edbi \u0111i\u1ec1u g\u00ec h\u1ee3p t\u01b0 l\u1ee3i h\u01a1n l\u00e0 v\u1ec1 ph\u00eda nh\u1eefng b\u1eb1ng ch\u1ee9ng kh\u00e1ch quan, m\u00e0 c\u00f2n l\u00e0m x\u00f3i m\u00f2n v\u00e0 ph\u00e1 h\u1ee7y nh\u1eefng th\u00e0nh ki\u1ebfn t\u00edch t\u1ee5 v\u00e0 k\u00e9o d\u00e0i dai d\u1eb3ng<\/em>\u201d (C\u00e1ch ta ngh\u0129<\/em>. NXB. Tri Th\u1ee9c, H\u00e0 N\u1ed9i, 2013, tr.47). N\u1ebfu s\u1eed h\u1ecdc gi\u00fap ch\u00fang ta th\u1ef1c hi\u1ec7n \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c hai \u0111i\u1ec1u n\u00e0y – suy ngh\u0129 d\u1ef1a tr\u00ean c\u00e1c d\u1eef li\u1ec7u kh\u00e1ch quan v\u00e0 tri\u1ec7t ti\u00eau c\u00e1c th\u00e0nh ki\u1ebfn tai h\u1ea1i <\/strong>– th\u00ec s\u1eed h\u1ecdc, c\u0169ng nh\u01b0 t\u1ea5t c\u1ea3 c\u00e1c m\u00f4n h\u1ecdc nh\u00e2n v\u0103n kh\u00e1c, c\u00f3 gi\u00e1 tr\u1ecb gi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c r\u1ea5t l\u1edbn. C\u00f2n v\u1ec1 c\u00e1i g\u1ecdi l\u00e0 \u201cch\u00e2n l\u00ed l\u1ecbch s\u1eed\u201d t\u00f4i \u0111\u1ec1 ngh\u1ecb ch\u00fang ta n\u00ean gi\u1eef m\u1ed9t th\u00e1i \u0111\u1ed9 h\u00f2ai nghi l\u00e0nh m\u1ea1nh – m\u1ed9t th\u00e1i \u0111\u1ed9 kh\u00f4ng nh\u1eefng c\u1ea7n thi\u1ebft cho tri\u1ebft gia m\u00e0 cho c\u1ea3 c\u00e1c s\u1eed gia. Ngay ch\u00ednh Toynbee c\u0169ng th\u1eeba nh\u1eadn th\u1eb3ng th\u1eafn r\u1eb1ng gi\u1eefa s\u1eed h\u1ecdc v\u00e0 v\u0103n h\u1ecdc c\u0169ng c\u00f3 nhi\u1ec1u m\u1ea1ch ng\u1ea7m t\u01b0\u01a1ng quan m\u1eadt thi\u1ebft ch\u1ee9 kh\u00f4ng h\u1eb3n l\u00e0 ho\u00e0n to\u00e0n \u0111\u1ed1i l\u1eadp nhau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n