O lugar da teoria-metodologia na cultura histórica. // [The place of theory and methodology in historical culture.]

Abstract
It’s usual to hear prestigious historians emitting their unfavorable opinionsabout Epistemology of History: “nobody become a historian being just a methodologistof history”. The Annales School expressed its suspects about the theoric andmethodological discussion, thought as empty and abstract, and motivated younghistorians to realize researches only about examples and concrete facts. This is the pointwhich this article talks about: which should be the value and the scientific reach of thisepistemological and methodological debate to the historical culture? Can an historian beconsidered cult and competent without theoric and methodological preparation? Can aprofessor, even of elementary or high school to teach history with no kind of theoric ormethodological approach? The epistemology must to be restricted to some little eruditecircles or must to involve all the members of the community of historians? Against thehistorical empiricism the author defends the central place of theory and methodology inhistorical culture.

Key words: theory-methodology of history, empiricism, positivism, Annales, history of problems, truth, teaching of history