History is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman EmpireI argue that there are duties that can be called ‘Moral duties due to history’ or, in short, ‘Duties to History’ (DTH). My claim is not the familiar thought that we need to learn from history on how to live better in the present and going forward, but that history itself creates moral duties. In addition to those obligations we currently recognise in response to the present and the future, there also exist special obligations in response to the past. If convincing, this means that our lives ought to be guided, in part, not only by our obligations to the living but by our DTH. This is a surprising result, with significant and sometimes perplexing implications. My focus is on the obligations of individuals in the light of history rather than on collective duties.I argue that there are duties that can be called ‘Moral duties due to history’ or, in short, ‘Duties to History’ (DTH). My claim is not the familiar thought that we need to learn from history on how to live better in the present and going forward, but that history itself creates moral duties. In addition to those obligations we currently recognise in response to the present and the future, there also exist special obligations in response to the past; such as obligations to good people in the past, but going beyond them. If convincing, this means that our lives ought to be guided, in part, not only by our obligations to the living but by our DTH. This is a surprising result, with significant and sometimes perplexing implications. My focus is on the obligations of individuals in the light of history rather than on collective duties.

中文翻译：

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对历史的道德义务观念

事实上，历史只不过是人类罪行、愚蠢和不幸的记录。爱德华·吉本罗马帝国的衰亡我认为有些义务可以被称为“因历史而产生的道德义务”，或者简而言之，“对历史的义务”（DTH）。我的主张不是我们需要从历史中学习如何在现在和未来更好地生活的那种熟悉的想法，而是历史本身创造了道德义务。除了我们目前承认的应对现在和未来的义务外，还存在应对过去的特殊义务。如果令人信服，这意味着我们的生活应该部分地受到指导，不仅是我们对生者的义务，而且是我们的 DTH。这是一个令人惊讶的结果，具有重要且有时令人困惑的含义。我的重点是从历史的角度来看个人的义务，而不是集体义务。我认为有些义务可以被称为“因历史而产生的道德义务”，或者简而言之，“对历史的义务”（DTH）。我的主张不是我们需要从历史中学习如何在现在和未来更好地生活的那种熟悉的想法，而是历史本身创造了道德义务。除了我们目前承认的应对现在和未来的义务外，还存在应对过去的特殊义务；例如过去对好人的义务，但超越了他们。如果令人信服，这意味着我们的生活应该部分地受到指导，不仅是我们对生者的义务，而且是我们的 DTH。这是一个令人惊讶的结果，具有重要且有时令人困惑的含义。我的重点是从历史的角度来看个人的义务，而不是集体义务。