The Philosophy of Giambattista Vico

The Philosophy of Giambattista Vico is a book by Benedetto Croce. The preface says the exposition is not meant for a summary of Vico's writings work by work and part by part, and rather presupposes an acquaintance with these writings. The text says that the brilliant truth of mathematics arises, it appears, from despair of attaining truth. The text says that mathematics no longer, as with Descartes, stands at the summit of human knowledge.

The text says that Manlius Capitolinus, who saved the Capitol from the fires of the Gaul, was yet for his democratic sympathies thrown from the Tarpeian rock. The text says the famous "Roman virtue" amazes anyone who is obsessed by the modern idea of a virtue consisting in justice and benevolence to all mankind. The text says M. de Wulf the Catholic historian is allowed to use this admirable method of criticism and to distinguish intention and action, will and logic, and asks why it should be denied to the speaker.