The New Science of Giambattista Vico

The ray of the divine providence illuminating a convex jewel which adorns the breast of metaphysic denotes the clean and pure heart which metaphysic must have, not dirty or befouled with pride or spirit or vileness of bodily pleasures, by the first of which Zeno was led to put fate,

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ons (125). He finds "proof" for such claims about the origin of nations not in a logical or rational analysis of actual nations, but in a random survey of literature and other philosophers. How can Vico be saying his work is original when he relies on other thinkers for "proof" of what he is claiming? Vico makes astounding claims and generalizations which simply would not bear up under the slightest challenge. He reads other works---myth, poetry, literature, epic, the Bible---as if all sources were facts to be taken for granted. He uses terms (justice, conscience, common sense) upon which he bases important conclusions, but then fails to provide even the most elementary of definitions: This justice was practiced by the Hebrews, who, illuminated by the true God, were by his divine law forbidden even to have unjust thoughts, about which no mortal lawgiver ever troubled himself. . . . The same inner justice was later reasoned out by the philosophers, who did not arise until two thousand years after the nations were founded. . . . The nations were governed . . . by . . . the common sense of the human race, on which the consciences of all nations repose (105). Were Vico to be confronted by Socrates and have his "poetic wisdom
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Approximate Word count = 1589
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)