Abstract

The “ideal-typical-historical” version of a concept, derived partly from the thinking of Max Weber, was described. This version of a concept was shown to be concerned with historical time, and the continuity and change between events. It was demonstrated how the ideal-typical-historical approach can make the unique features of historical events clearly explicit through a method of comparison; and how a combination of categories or concepts could be used in this approach to show the variety of tendencies in historical individuals. In conclusion, this approach to concepts consciously attempts to harmonize the classificatory process inherent in a concept with the historians individualizing approach.