Philosophy of the 19th and 20th centuries

The purpose of this line of research is to look at philosophy in its historical dimension, i.e. philosophy as the content of an ever-renewing tradition free from dogmatic concerns. The aim is to cultivate and renew a tradition of studies characteristic of our Institute and inaugurated by the magisterium of Mario Dal Pra, which conceives the history of philosophy and culture as critical knowledge, constantly and rigorously referring to sources and documents. This line gathers the research of the Institute’s scholars committed to the history of philosophy between the 19th and 20th centuries, integrating research on Italian thought in its relation to the European one with new areas of study, concerning philosophy, the sciences, society and the language of the arts in the modern and contemporary age.
The methodological foundation of this line is inspired by the techniques of historical-philosophical research and it combines scientific rigour with an attention to contemporary social, political and civil issues. In addition to the rigorous examination of philosophical and scientific texts, the primary objective is to make the heritage of editions and critical studies edited by the Institute accessible to a wider community, both through the forms of traditional publishing and exploiting the new possibilities offered by electronic and web publishing.

A privileged channel for the dissemination of the results of this line of research is the book series ‘Filosofia e scienza nell’età moderna e contemporanea’ (Philosophy and Science in the Modern and Contemporary Age), founded in Milan by Dal Pra in 1971, and acknowledged since decades as a point of reference in Italian historical-philosophical debate. The commitment to the dissemination and promotion of historical-philosophical and historical-scientific culture also finds expression in numerous scientific initiatives, in particular in the organisation of conferences in collaboration with regional, national and international cultural institutions.