Historical Comparison; Feasibility Study and Criteriology

Comparative studies are one of the adopted methods of research in humanities, in which researchers find a deeper knowledge by comparing two phenomena or views with each other and examining the similarities and differences between them. Acquiring a deep undressing about their time, historians study the factors of the rise and fall of civilizations by comparing the civilizations with their own time. But, due to some difficulties, perhaps some scholars may avoid the comparative study of history, such as undue comparison, its impossibility or non-scientificness. After explaining the reasons for the possibility of historical adaptation, this paper has criticized two extremist and negligence perspectives on historical comparison, and has mentioned issues, such as identifying similarities and focusing on esoteric similarities, evaluating the ineffectiveness of distinctions in similarities and utilizing comprehensive formats as a criterion and scientific method for valid historical comparison.