The Humanist Project: Will, Judgment, and Society from Dante to Vico

Humanistic studies have faced criticism and reduced support, while technological developments have limited human agency and dialogue. Peter Carravetta argues for a recovery of the "human" in humanistic reflection, encompassing free social creativity and the dialectic between historical recurrences and individual will. He highlights Dante, Boccaccio, Pico della Mirandola, Machiavelli, Campanella, and Vico as key figures in the Humanist Project.

Format: Hardback
Length: 284 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2024
Publisher: Lexington Books

Humanistic studies have faced significant challenges from both within and outside the university disciplines, with diminishing support structures on the outside and recent technological developments trapping humans in the maws of the information machine, where will, agency, and dialogue are constantly stunted and mediated, disclosing a nihilistic, dilated present. Against this backdrop, Peter Carravetta contends that there is a pressing need to reclaim the "human" in humanistic reflection, which he defines as a free, social, creative, yet elusive being caught between idealizations (utopias, concepts of society, autonomy of powers), the realities of survival (basic economics and geographies), and the dynamics of power (the languages and praxis of actually running the society).

In his book, "The Humanist Project: Will, Judgment, and Society from Dante to Vico," Carravetta presents Dante as the first true humanist, emphasizing the preeminence of free will and individual responsibility in the life of the polis. He also highlights Boccaccio's later encyclopedic works as a philosophy of existence and history, Pico della Mirandola's autopoiesis of the thinking and acting human in light of recent theories of interpretation, the self, and society, Machiavelli's challenge of chance in determining sociohistorical patterns, Campanella as the last true utopic writer and first to conceive of a realist, world-scale political vision, and Vico as the thinker who identifies and describes the dialectic between historical recurrences and the free will of the individual.

Carravetta's approach to humanistic reflection is grounded in a deep appreciation of the human condition and a commitment to understanding the complexities of human experience. He argues that humanistic studies should be guided by a desire to promote human flourishing and to address the challenges that humans face in their lives. To achieve this, he suggests that humanistic studies should focus on the following key areas:

1. Free Will and Individual Responsibility: Carravetta believes that free will is a fundamental aspect of human nature and that individuals have the ability to make choices that shape their lives and the world around them. He argues that humanistic studies should explore the nature of free will and its implications for human behavior and society.

2. Existentialism: Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes the importance of individual existence and the search for meaning in life. Carravetta suggests that humanistic studies should explore the existentialist perspective and its implications for human behavior and society.

3. Autonomy of Powers: Carravetta believes that the autonomy of powers is a critical aspect of human society and that individuals should have the ability to control their own lives and the world around them. He argues that humanistic studies should explore the autonomy of powers and its implications for human behavior and society.

4. Basic Economics and Geographies: Carravetta believes that basic economics and geographies are essential to understanding human behavior and society. He suggests that humanistic studies should explore the relationship between economics and geography and its implications for human behavior and society.

5. The Challenge of Chance in Determining Sociohistorical Patterns: Carravetta argues that chance plays a significant role in determining sociohistorical patterns and that humanistic studies should explore the role of chance in human behavior and society.

6. Realist, World-Scale Political Vision: Carravetta believes that a realist, world-scale political vision is essential to addressing the challenges that humans face in their lives. He suggests that humanistic studies should explore the development of a realist, world-scale political vision and its implications for human behavior and society.

7. Dialectic Between Historical Recurrences and the Free Will of the Individual: Carravetta argues that the dialectic between historical recurrences and the free will of the individual is a critical aspect of human behavior and society. He suggests that humanistic studies should explore the dialectic between historical recurrences and the free will of the individual and its implications for human behavior and society.

In conclusion, Peter Carravetta's book, "The Humanist Project: Will, Judgment, and Society from Dante to Vico," presents a compelling argument for the need to reclaim the "human" in humanistic reflection. He argues that humanistic studies should focus on the free will and individual responsibility, existentialism, autonomy of powers, basic economics and geographies, the challenge of chance in determining sociohistorical patterns, a realist, world-scale political vision, and the dialectic between historical recurrences and the free will of the individual. By doing so, humanistic studies can help to promote human flourishing and address the challenges that humans face in their lives.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666920369