The New Art of Autobiography

ISBN-13: 9780198239000 / Angielski / Twarda / 1991 / 280 str.

Donald Phillip Verene

Opis

In this, the first full-length study of Vico's highly original autobiography, Professor Verene discusses its place in the history of the genre. The author views the autobiography as a work in which Vico applies the principles of human history discussed in his New Science, making the telling of his own life an application and verification of his philosophy. He places Vico's book within the general development of the genre, considering it in relation to Augustine's Confessions, Descartes's Discourse, and Rousseau's Confessions. The author shows Vico to be not only the founder of the philosophy of history, but also the originator of a philosophical art of self-narrative which is the response by a modern thinker to the ancient problem of self-knowledge.

This study of Vico's autobiography discusses its place in the history of autobiography generally and shows it to be the first work of modern intellectual autobiography which uses a genetic method. It argues that Vico is not only the founder of the philosophy of history, but also the originator of a philosophical art of self-narrative.

Recenzje

'much to admire in Verene's book ... He makes a genuine contribution not only to Vichian studies but also to the study of autobiography as a genre ... This is a suggestive piece of work which is certain to open up new lines of enquiry ... Verene has performed a signal service in bringing together the bibliographies on Vico and autobiography as a genre. He has already made a decisive impression on recent Vichian scholarship.' Bruce Haddock, International Studies in Philosophy, Vol. XXVI, No. 1, '94