Vico: The First New Science (cambridge Texts In The History Of Political Thought)

The First New Science Gives A Clear Account Of Vico's Mature Philosophy: The Belief That Certain Functions Which Are Necessary For The Maintenance Of Human Society And Culture, Including Philosophy, Also Condition Them Historically. This Challenges The Traditional View That Philosophy Can Lay Claim To An Historically Independent Viewpoint, Thus Bringing Into Question The Legitimacy Of The Claims Of Universal Prescriptive Political Theories As Against The De Facto Political Beliefs Of Particular Historical Societies. This Is The First Of Vico's Later Major Books In Which He Wrote In Italian In Order Not Merely To Expound But To Demonstrate In Practice, His Conception Of The Philosophical Importance Of Etymology. This 2002 Cambridge Texts Edition Is The First Complete English Translation Of The 1725 Text. Accompanied By A Glossary, Bibliography, Chronology Of Vico's Life And Expository Introduction, It Makes This Important Work Accessible To Students For The First Time. The First New Science -- Idea Of The Work -- The Necessity Of The End And The Difficulty Of The Means Of Discovering A New Science -- Reasons For Our Meditation On This Work -- Meditation On A New Science -- The Defect Of Such A Science If Based Upon The Maxims Of The Epicureans And Stoics Or The Practices Advocated By Plato -- This Science Is Meditated On The Basis Of The Roman Jurisconsults' Idea Of The Natural Law Of The Gentes -- The Defect Of Such A Science If Based Upon The Systems Of Grotius, Selden Or Pufendorf -- Reasons Why This Science Has Hitherto Been Lacking Among The Philosophers And Philologists -- The Necessity, Both Human And Doctrinal, That The Origins Of This Science Be Derived From Sacred History -- The Difficulty Of Discovering The Progress Or Continuity [proper To This Science] -- [the Difficulty Of Discovering The Origins Of Humanity] From The Philosophers -- [the Difficulty Of Discovering The Origins Of Humanity] From The Philologists -- The Necessity To Seek The Principles Of The Nature Of Nations By Means Of A Metaphysics Raised To Contemplate A Certain Common Mind Of All The Peoples -- On The Idea Of A Jurisprudence Of Mankind -- The Severe Difficulties Of Discovering [the Mode Of Men's First Ideas] -- The Principles Of This Science Concerning Ideas -- The First Principle Of The Nations Is Providence -- The Rule Of The World Of Nations Is Vulgar Wisdom -- The Artificer Of The World Of Nations Is Human Will Regulated By Vulgar Wisdom -- The Natural Order Of Human Ideas Of An Eternal Justice. Edited And Translated By Leon Pompa. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 19 I......Page 21 II......Page 27 III......Page 31 IV......Page 38 Chronology......Page 41 The translation......Page 47 The notes......Page 50 Bibliographies......Page 52 English translations of other works by Vico......Page 53 Works on Vico......Page 54 Glossary......Page 59 The First New Science......Page 67 Book I......Page 70 Book V......Page 71 BOOK I THE NECESSITY OF THE END AND THE DIFFICULTY OF THE MEANS OF DISCOVERING A NEW SCIENCE......Page 73 [Chapter] I Reasons for our meditation on this work......Page 75 [Chapter] II Meditation on a New Science......Page 77 [Chapter] III The defect of such a Science if based upon the maxims of the Epicureans and Stoics or the practices advocated.........Page 78 [Chapter] IV This Science is meditated on the basis of the Roman jurisconsults’ idea of the natural law of the gentes......Page 79 [Chapter] V The defect of such Science if based upon the systems of Grotius, Selden or Pufendorf......Page 80 [Chapter] VI Reasons why this Science has hitherto been lacking among the philosophers and philologists......Page 84 [Chapter] VII The necessity, both human and doctrinal, that the origins of this Science be derived from sacred history......Page 86 [Chapter] VIII The difficulty of discovering the progress or continuity [proper to this Science]......Page 87 [Chapter] IX [The difficulty of discovering the origins of humanity] from the philosophers......Page 88 [Chapter] X [The difficulty of discovering the origins of humanity] from the philologists......Page 91 [Chapter] XI The necessity to seek the principles of the nature of nations by means of a metaphysics raised to contemplate a.........Page 96 [Chapter] XII On the idea of a jurisprudence of mankind......Page 97 [Chapter] XIII The severe difficulties of discovering [the mode of men’s first ideas]......Page 98 BOOK II THE PRINCIPLES OF THIS SCIENCE CONCERNING IDEAS......Page 101 [Introduction]......Page 103 [Chapter] I The first principle of the nations is Providence......Page 104 [Chapter] III The artificer of the world of nations is human will regulated by vulgar wisdom......Page 105 [Chapter] IV The natural order of human ideas of an eternal justice......Page 106 [Chapter] V The natural order of human ideas of a universal justice......Page 110 [Chapter] VI The natural order of gentile human ideas of divinity through which, depending upon whether they have been kept.........Page 111 [Chapter] VII The natural order of ideas concerning the law of the nations [as it proceeds] through their own religions.........Page 114 Corollary A practical test comparing [the results of] our reasoned principles with the vulgar tradition that the Law of.........Page 123 [Chapter] VIII The idea of an ideal eternal history in accordance with which the histories of all nations proceed through.........Page 132 [Chapter] IX The idea of a new critical art......Page 133 [Chapter] X First: through certain kinds of evidence synchronous with the times in which the gentile nations were born......Page 134 [Chapter] XI Second: through certain kinds of medals belonging to the first peoples, with which the Universal Flood is.........Page 135 [Chapter] XII Third: through physical demonstrations which prove that the first origin of profane history lay in the giants.........Page 137 [Chapter] XIII Fourth: by interpreting the fables in the light of physics, it is discovered that the principle of idolatry.........Page 139 [Chapter] XIV Fifth: with metaphysical proofs through which it is discovered that the whole theology of the gentiles owes.........Page 141 [Chapter] XV Through a metaphysics of mankind the great principle of the division of the fields and the first outlines of.........Page 142 [Chapter] XVI The origin of nobility is discovered......Page 145 [Chapter] XVII The origin of heroism is discovered......Page 147 IV......Page 148 [Chapter] XIX This New Science proceeds through a politics of mankind, from which it is discovered that the first.........Page 149 [Chapter] XX The first fathers in the state of the families are discovered to have been monarchical kings......Page 150 [Chapter] XXI The first kingdoms in the state of the cities are discovered to have been heroic......Page 151 [Chapter] XXII The principle of heroic virtue......Page 152 [Chapter] XXIV The principles of the first aristocratic republics......Page 153 [Chapter] XXVI Determination of the first occupations, usucaptions and mancipations......Page 154 [Chapter] XXVII The discovery of the first duels or the first private wars......Page 155 [Chapter] XXVIII The origin of the genealogies and the nobility of the first gentes......Page 156 [Chapter] XXIX The discovery of the first asylums and of the eternal origins of all states......Page 157 [Chapter] XXXI The discovery of the fiefs of the heroic times......Page 158 [Chapter] XXXII The point at which the heroic republics were born from the clienteles......Page 159 [Chapter] XXXIII The discovery of the first [forms of] peace and the first tributes in the two oldest agrarian laws, which.........Page 160 [Chapter] XXXIV The discovery of the heroic republics that were uniform among the Latins, Greeks and Asians, and of the.........Page 161 [Chapter] XXXV The discovery of the heroic or aristocratic nature of the Roman kingdom......Page 163 [Chapter] XXXVI The discovery of the truth concerning the Law of the Twelve Tables as the basis of the greater part of the.........Page 167 [Chapter] XXXVIII The natural law of the gentes that proceeds in constant uniformity among the nations......Page 173 [Chapter] XL The principle of the external justice of war......Page 174 [Chapter] XLI Optimum law as the principle of revenge and the origin of heraldic law......Page 175 [Chapter] XLII The law of the bond as the origin of obligations and the first outlines of reprisals and slavery......Page 176 [Chapter] XLIV The discovery that heroic law was the second natural law of the gentes......Page 177 [Chapter] XLV The discovery that ancient Roman law was wholly heroic and the source of Roman virtue and greatness......Page 178 [Chapter] XLVI The discovery that human law is the final law of the gentes......Page 182 [Chapter] XLVII A demonstration of the truth of the Christian religion and a criticism of the three systems of Grotius.........Page 183 [Chapter XLVIII] The idea of a jurisprudence of mankind that changes through certain sects of times......Page 184 [Chapter] XLVIII [XLIX] The jurisprudence of the sect of superstitious times......Page 185 [Chapter] L [LI] A demonstration that the laws were not born of deception......Page 186 [Chapter] LII [LIII] The origin of the harsh jurisprudence of the ancients......Page 187 [Chapter] LIII [LIV] The discovery of the causes of the belief that the Law of the Twelve Tables came from Sparta......Page 189 [Chapter] LIV [LV] The jurisprudence of the sect of human times and the principle of the benign jurisprudence of the last.........Page 190 [Chapter] LVI [LVII] The discovery of the true elements of history......Page 191 [Chapter] LVII [LVIII] New historical principles of astronomy......Page 192 [Chapter] LVIII [LIX] The idea of a reasoned chronology of the obscure and fabulous times......Page 193 [Chapter] LIX [LX] The discovery of new kinds of anachronism and of new principles for their correction......Page 194 [Chapter] LX [LXI] New historical principles of geography......Page 196 [Chapter] LXI [LXII] The discovery of the great principle of the propagation of the nations......Page 200 [Chapter]LXII [LXIII] The discovery of the principle of the colonies and provinces and of Roman, Latin and Italic law......Page 201 [Chapter] LXIII [LXIV] The discovery of the mode of the overseas heroic colonies......Page 204 [Chapter] LXIV [LXV] The discovery of the first origin in this Science......Page 207 [Chapter] LXV [LXVI] The origins of recondite wisdom are discovered to lie within those of vulgar wisdom......Page 208 [Chapter]LXVI [LXVII] The idea of a civil history of inventions in the sciences, disciplines and arts......Page 209 [Chapter] LXVII [LXVIII] Determination of the eternal point of the perfect state of the nations......Page 211 BOOK III THE PRINCIPLES OF THIS SCIENCE CONCERNING LANGUAGE......Page 213 [Chapter] I New principles of mythology and etymology......Page 215 [Chapter] III Determination of the birth of the first fable, the origin of idolatry and divination......Page 217 [Chapter] IV The first principle of the divine poetry, i.e. the theology, of the gentiles......Page 218 [Chapter] V The discovery of the principle of the poetic characters that constituted the vocabulary of the first [gentile].........Page 219 [Chapter] VI The discovery of the true poetic allegories......Page 221 [Chapter] VIII [The idea of a reasoned chronology proceeding] from the fables of the gods through those of the heroes to.........Page 222 [Chapter] X Principle II: Concerning metamorphoses......Page 224 [Chapter] XII Principle IV: Concerning changes in the fables......Page 225 [Chapter] XIII Principle V: Concerning the impropriety of the fables that derives from [new] ideas......Page 226 [Chapter] XIV Principle VI: Concerning the impropriety of the fables that derives from [new] words......Page 227 [Chapter XV] Important discoveries concerning the law of war and peace resulting from the foregoing principle of poetry......Page 230 [Chapter] XVI [XVII] The principle of the corruption of the fables......Page 234 [Chapter] XVII [XVIII] The discovery of three ages of heroic poets up to Homer......Page 236 [Chapter] XIX [XX] How the first legislative wisdom was that of the poets......Page 238 [Chapter] XX [XXI] Of the divine wisdom and art of Homer......Page 239 [Chapter] XXI [XXII] How principles of recondite wisdom came to be discovered in the Homeric fables......Page 241 [Chapter] XXII [XXIII] The mode in which the first language among the nations was born divine......Page 243 [Chapter] XXIII [XXIV] The mode [of birth] of the first natural languages, i.e. those with natural signification......Page 245 [Chapter] XXIV [XXV] The mode in which the second language of the nations was born heroic......Page 246 [Chapter] XXV [XXVI] The mode in which the poetic language that has come down to us was formed......Page 247 [Chapter] XXVI [XXVII] Further principles of poetic reason......Page 249 [Chapter] XXVII [XXVIII] The discovery of the true origin of the heroic emblems......Page 251 [Chapter] XXVIII [XXIX] New principles of the science of blazonry......Page 254 [Chapter] XXIX [XXX] The new discovery of the origins of the family ensigns......Page 255 [Chapter] XXX [XXXI] Further origins of military ensigns......Page 260 [Chapter XXXII] The heroic origins of the distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece and the royal blazon of France......Page 262 [Chapter] XXXI [XXXIII] Further principles of the science of medals......Page 263 [Chapter] XXXII [XXXIV] The language of arms through which the principles of the natural law of the gentes of the Roman.........Page 264 [Chapter] XXXIII [XXXV] The necessity of the language of arms for understanding barbaric history......Page 270 II......Page 271 [Chapter] XXXIV [XXXVI] Concerning the third part of poetic language: words of settled meaning......Page 272 [Chapter] XXXV [XXXVII] The discovery of the common origins of all the articulate languages......Page 273 [Chapter] XXXVI [XXXVIII] The discovery of the true causes of the Latin language and, by analogy, of all the others......Page 274 [Chapter] XXXVII [XXXIX] The discovery of the origins of song and verse......Page 279 [Chapter] XXXVIII [XL] The idea of an etymologicon common to all native languages......Page 282 [Chapter] XXXIX [XLI] The idea of an etymologicon of words of foreign origin......Page 283 [Chapter] XL [XLII] The idea of a universal etymologicon for the science of the language of the natural law of the gentes......Page 284 [Chapter] XLI [XLIII] The idea of a dictionary of mental words common to all nations......Page 286 BOOK IV THE GROUND OF THE PROOFS THAT ESTABLISH THIS SCIENCE......Page 291 BOOK V THE FINAL BOOK......Page 297 [Introduction] The order of development of the subject matter through which a philosophy of humanity and a universal.........Page 299 [Chapter I] The uniformity of the course that humanity takes among the nations......Page 300 [Chapter II] The origins of this Science found in two Egyptian antiquities......Page 301 [Chapter III] The origins of this Science found within those of sacred history......Page 302 [Chapter IV] Supplement on antediluvian history......Page 303 [Chapter VI] The age of the gods of Greece in whic the divine origins of all gentile human institutions are found......Page 304 [II]......Page 305 [III]......Page 306 [IV]......Page 307 [V]......Page 308 [VI]......Page 310 [IX]......Page 312 [X]......Page 315 [XI]......Page 316 [XII]......Page 319 [Chapter VII] The uniformity of the age of the gods among the ancient gentile nations......Page 320 [Chapter VIII] The age of the Greek heroes......Page 321 [II]......Page 322 [III]......Page 323 [IV]......Page 324 [V]......Page 325 [Chapter IX] The uniformity of the age of the heroes among the ancient nations......Page 328 [Chapter X] The age of men......Page 334 CONCLUSION OF THE WORK......Page 337 INDEX......Page 341 [I] Vulgar traditions......Page 343 IV......Page 344 VII......Page 345 X......Page 346 XV......Page 347 XIX......Page 348 XXIII......Page 349 XXVI......Page 350 XXXII......Page 351 XXXVI......Page 352 [II] General discoveries......Page 353 V......Page 354 VI......Page 355 VII......Page 356 Index......Page 357

Annotated student edition of Vico's First New Science, an important and previously untranslated text.

Booknews

This volume, edited and translated by Leon Pompa, provides the first complete English translation of Vico's 1725 text, in which he expresses his theory that the functions necessary for the maintenance of human society and culture are historically conditioning. The translation is supplemented by a critical introduction, glossary, bibliography, and chronology of Vico's life. Intended as a textbook for students in political theory. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

This account of the basic theme of Vico's mature philosophy explores the question of whether philosophical theories can ever be more than an intellectual expression of the underlying beliefs of an age. The first complete English translation of the 1725 text, Vico's The First New Science ia now accessible to a broad, new readership. It is accompanied by a glossary, bibliography, chronology of Vico's life and expository introduction.