The Aesthetic as the Science of Expression and of the Linguistic in General, Part 1, Theory (Aesthetic as the Science of Expression & of the Linguistic i) [Paperback]

Benedetto Croce (Author), Colin Lyas (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 1992 | Series: Aesthetic as the Science of Expression & of the Linguistic i

The Italian philosopher Benedetto Croce (1866-1952) spent most of his life as a private scholar in Naples. His Estetica, which first appeared in 1902, has remained a seminal work not only for aesthetics but also for general linguistics. As the full title indicates, this is not a narrow work dealing with the theory of art and criticism. For Croce intended this to be the first part of his "philosophy of the spirit" and he thus presents a systematic general theory intended to solve all philosophical problems. The work presents an account of the structure of the human mind and shows how art arises naturally from that structure, as well as introducing the influential notion of the organic unity of a work of art. As a result, art is shown to be integral to any life and an essential aspect of what it is to be human. This new translation of the first and most important part of the work (Theory) supersedes the defective translation by D. Ainslie, first published in 1909. It is based on the most recent Italian edition (1990). In his foreword the translator addresses the difficulties in translating certain key words in the Italian original, "scienza", "fantasia", and of course, "estetica" itself. He also furnishes the reader with helpful explanatory annotation. This publication will be of cardinal importance for all those interested in the philosophy of art, the history of criticism, and the history of linguistics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The case for a new translation of Croce's Estetica is overwhelming....for all its influence it has never been widely read in the English-speaking world...this new translation is fully set to put right this anomaly." Richard Wollheim, University of California-Berkeley

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 31, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521359961
• ISBN-13: 978-0521359962
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,627,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.