In this article the author presents an account of the philosophy of history which treats in a sketchy way such central topics as causation and explanation, objectivity, and knowledge interests in history. In discussing these topics he considers various recent writings on history by philosophers and historians. Of the three chapters, the first seeks to defend the significance of historical explanation against sceptical doubt, emphasizing that the variety of grounds we have for knowing about the past does not justify any effort to equalize the cognitive content of all possible explanatory approaches. There follows a discussion of objectivity, selection and perspectivity in chapter II, giving special attention to more recent tendencies towards a moralistic foundation of historical knowledge. The concluding chapter considers the currently rather neglected double goal of historical education: scientific competence and erudition. By exploring such questions and problems, the reader may be led to reflect upon the nature of scientific reasoning in the humanities.