1001Philosophers

Benedetto Croce Quotes

Benedetto Croce was an Italian historian, philosopher, and statesman and the principal exponent of neo-idealist philosophy in early twentieth-century Italy. From his independent library and editorial offices in Naples he edited the journal La Critica for almost half a century and produced his four-volume Philosophy of Spirit treating art, logic, ethics, and history as moments of a unified spiritual life. The quotes below are attributed to Benedetto Croce, organized by topic.

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Benedetto Croce on Freedom

  • Attributed to Benedetto Croce:

    “Liberty is the eternal task of the human spirit.”

Benedetto Croce on Happiness

  • “Poetry is produced not by the mere caprice of pleasure , but by natural necessity . It is the primary activity of the human mind .”

    Benedetto Croce, The Philosophy of Giambattista Vico. trans. R. G. Collingwood , London 1923.

Benedetto Croce on Knowledge

  • Attributed to Benedetto Croce:

    “Theory and practice are inseparable in the life of the spirit.”

  • “Allan, George (1972) . " Croce and Whitehead on Concrescence ". Process Studies 2 (2): 95–111. DOI : 10.5840/process19722215 .”

    All history is contemporary history.
  • “Benedetto Croce, The Philosophy of Giambattista Vico. trans. R. G. Collingwood , London 1923.”

    Poetry is produced not by the mere caprice of pleasure , but by natural necessity . It is the primary activity of the human mind .
  • “Language is articulated, limited sound organized for the purpose of expression.”

    Benedetto Croce, quoted in: Geza Revesz , The Origins and Prehistory of Language , London 1956. p. 126
  • “Benedetto Croce, quoted in: Geza Revesz , The Origins and Prehistory of Language , London 1956. p. 126”

    Language is articulated, limited sound organized for the purpose of expression.

Read all Benedetto Croce quotes on Knowledge

Benedetto Croce on Mind

  • Attributed to Benedetto Croce:

    “Art is the expression of the singular intuition of the artist.”

Benedetto Croce on Time

  • “All history is contemporary history.”

    Allan, George (1972) . " Croce and Whitehead on Concrescence ". Process Studies 2 (2): 95–111. DOI : 10.5840/process19722215 .

Benedetto Croce on Truth

  • Attributed to Benedetto Croce:

    “Beauty is the conquest of expression over inarticulate feeling.”