1001Philosophers

Benedetto Croce Quotes on Knowledge

Benedetto Croce (1866–1952), the leading Italian neo-Hegelian of the first half of the twentieth century, gave the long Philosophy of the Spirit tetralogy (1902–17) — Aesthetic, Logic, Philosophy of the Practical, Theory and History of Historiography — its systematic exposition of the four moments of spiritual activity: aesthetic intuition, logical thought, economic action, and moral action. Knowledge for Croce is the dialectical interplay of these moments within the developmental self-articulation of spirit, with the consequent doctrine that all genuine philosophical knowledge is ultimately historical knowledge and that history is always contemporary history — the past as it is presently engaged by the living interests of the historian.

Quotes

  • “All history is contemporary history.”

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