Philosophy of Giambattista Vico

Giambattista Vico 16681744 is often regarded as the beleaguered neglectedgenius of preEnlightenment Naples. His work though known to HerderColeridge Matthew Ar... » 

Giambattista Vico 16681744 is often regarded as the beleaguered neglectedgenius of preEnlightenment Naples. His work though known to HerderColeridge Matthew Arnold and Michelet widely and deeply appreciated onlyduring the twentieth century. Although Vico may be best known for the use JamesJoyce made of his theories in Finnegans Wake Croces insightful analysis ofVicos ideas played a large role in alerting readers to his unique voice.Croces volume preceded Joyces creation of Mr. John Baptister Vickar by aquarter century.During the last 25 years Vicos ideas about history language antiCartesianepistemology and rhetoric have begun to receive the recognition their admirershave long claimed they deserve. Increasing numbers of publications appearannually which bear the stamp of Vicos thinking. Even if he is not yet sorenowned as some of his contemporaries such as Locke Voltaire orMontesquieu there are good reasons to believe that in the future he will beequally honored as a cultural theorist. As a theorist of historical process andits language there is no more innovative voice than his until the twentiethcentury which explains in part why such figures as Joyce and R.G.Collingwood freely drew on Vicos work particularly his New Science whilecreating their own. If Vico was Naples most brilliant if uncelebratedcitizen prior to the Enlightenment taking hold in Southern Italy then Croce18661952 is surely the citys most important thinker of modern times andthe single indispensable Italian philosopher since Vicos death. When a geniusof Croces interpretative prowess evaluates the work of another it isinevitable that an explosivemixture will result.A great virtue of this book is its fusion of Croces unique brand of idealismand aesthetic philosophy with Vicos epistemological ethical and historicaltheories. If Vicos theory of cyclical changes in history the corsi e ricorsiremains fruitf «