Giambattista Vico
3 books
About the Author
Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) was an Italian philosopher, historian, and jurist whose groundbreaking ideas laid the foundations for modern philosophy of history and cultural anthropology. Born in Naples, Vico overcame early hardships to become a professor of rhetoric at the University of Naples, where he developed his cyclical theory of human societies, emphasizing myth, language, and collective imagination as drivers of civilization. His seminal work, New Science (Penguin Classics), published in 1725 and revised in 1744, posits that history unfolds through recurring ages of gods, heroes, and men, challenging Enlightenment rationalism by valuing poetic wisdom and the role of providence in human affairs. Vico's innovative approach continues to influence thinkers in fields ranging from sociology to literary theory, cementing his legacy as a visionary precursor to Romanticism and hermeneutics.
Common genres
Writing style
philosophical
cyclical
imaginative
