EUR  â¬142.80EUR  â¬119.00 excl. VAT
The Human Project
The Year 2000
Series: - Value Inquiry Book Series, Volume: 119
- Studies in the History of Western Philosophy, Volume: 119
This book explores human possibility at the end of the twentieth century. It takes the form of discussion between an eminent philosopher and a skilled journalist about âthe human measureâ as it engages false absolutes and their accompanying utopias. The book proposes a âthird wayâ between capitalism and socialism, and it concludes with comments on end-of-century phenomena, including democracy, intellectuals, and terrorism.
Nicola Abbagnano was born in Salerno, Italy on 15 July 1901 and died in Milan in 1990. He attended school in Salerno, moving to university studies at the University of Naples. Upon receiving his degree (The Laurea) in 1922, he published his thesis Le sorgenti irrazionali del pensiero [The Irrational Sources of Thought] that signaled the anti-rationalistic character of his mature thought. He taught at secondary schools in Salerno and Catania, then returned to Naples in 1927 to teach at the Liceo Torquato Tasso. He became Professor of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and School Legislation at the Istituto Superiore di Magistero Suor Orsola Benincasa. Simultaneously, he joined the staff of the journal Logos. He achieved his most important academic position in 1936 when he was appointed to the Chair of the History of Philosophy at Turin. He remained there until his retirement in 1976. The book La struttura dellâesistenza [The Structure of Existence], published in 1939, marked him as an original and important thinker. After World War II, his major works of scholarship appeared: La storia della filosofia [The History of Philosophy] and the Dizionario di filosofia [Dictionary of Philosophy]. During this period he co-edited with Noberto Bobbio the Rivista di filosofia [Review of Philosophy]. Besides, he was a member of the Academy of Lynxes, the Academy of Sciences at Turin, and the Institut International de Philosophie. After his retirement, Abbagnano moved to Milan and wrote for newspapers and journals. He came once to the United States in 1955 to give a series of lectures at several universities. Official acknowledgment of his work as a teacher and philosopher mark the last years of his life. The last part of his writing career produced works of popular philosophy, even a bestseller in Italy, La saggezza della vita [The Wisdom of Life]. Abbagnano is buried in the cemetery of Santa Margherita in Liguria. A memorial plaque in the Milan Cemetery commemorates him among other famous people.
Nicola ABBAGNANO: Frontispiece
Foreword by Peter A. Redpath
Editorâs Introduction
Acknowledgments
ONE Authorâs Introduction
1. What Is This Book About?
2. Individuality and Sociality
3. The âThird Wayâ
4. The Measured Way
5. Humanity as the Measure
6. The Infinite and Human Nature
TWO The Human Project: Revolt of the Individual
THREE The Human Project: The Third Way
FOUR Comment on the Interview: Dignity and Freedom
1. Putting the Project to the Test
2. Battle for Dignity
3. Discipline of Choices
4. Escape from Anonymity
5. The Individual and Ideology
6. The Third Way and Humanistic Socialism
7. Intellectuals and Freedom
8. Immoralism and Political Moralism
9. Democracy Today
FIVE Comment on the Interview: Risk and Salvation
1. Wisdom and Risk
2. Sense of Insecurity
3. Biological Risk
4. Vital Balance
5. Threat of Aggressiveness
6. Risk of the Bomb
7. Menace of Terrorism
8. Prospect of Decline
9. Prospect of Rebirth
10. Prospect of Faith and Atheism
11. Prospect of Pantheism
12. Prospect of Humanist Religion
13. Prospect of Christian Humanism
Notes
Bibliography
Part One: Works by Abbagnano
Part Two: Works by Others
About the Author
About the Translators and Editor
Index
Foreword by Peter A. Redpath
Editorâs Introduction
Acknowledgments
ONE Authorâs Introduction
1. What Is This Book About?
2. Individuality and Sociality
3. The âThird Wayâ
4. The Measured Way
5. Humanity as the Measure
6. The Infinite and Human Nature
TWO The Human Project: Revolt of the Individual
THREE The Human Project: The Third Way
FOUR Comment on the Interview: Dignity and Freedom
1. Putting the Project to the Test
2. Battle for Dignity
3. Discipline of Choices
4. Escape from Anonymity
5. The Individual and Ideology
6. The Third Way and Humanistic Socialism
7. Intellectuals and Freedom
8. Immoralism and Political Moralism
9. Democracy Today
FIVE Comment on the Interview: Risk and Salvation
1. Wisdom and Risk
2. Sense of Insecurity
3. Biological Risk
4. Vital Balance
5. Threat of Aggressiveness
6. Risk of the Bomb
7. Menace of Terrorism
8. Prospect of Decline
9. Prospect of Rebirth
10. Prospect of Faith and Atheism
11. Prospect of Pantheism
12. Prospect of Humanist Religion
13. Prospect of Christian Humanism
Notes
Bibliography
Part One: Works by Abbagnano
Part Two: Works by Others
About the Author
About the Translators and Editor
Index