Abstract

Apart from the main source for the concept ›history of ideas‹ which is related to Arthur O. Lovejoy, new aspects appeared which lightened up the history ofthe concept a bit further. Lovejoy’s own teacher, William James and also his intellectual forerunner Charles S. Peirce obviously played a role for the formationof the concept. Another, hitherto unknown source can be found in the works of Herbert G. Wells, explicitely in his 1920 edition for the British reader in which hestates: »Human history is in essence a history of ideas« (p. 596,col. 2). From here the article follows the further use and development of the concept by British (R.G. Collingwood, I. Berlin), American and European scholars.