Monstrosity and Philosophy

Amazons and giants, snakes and gorgons, centaurs and gryphons: monsters abounded in the ancient world. They raise enduring philosophical questions: about chaos and order; about divinity and perversion; about meaning and purpose; about the hierarchy of nature or its absence. Del Lucchese grapples with the concept of monstrosity, showing how ancient philosophers explored metaphysics, ontology, theology and politics to respond to the challenge of radical otherness in nature and in thought

Machiavelli and the Spartan Equality: the Image and Function of Lycurgus’ Heritage

This article explores the meaning and function of Lycurgus in Machiavelli’s thought. I show that, while the exemplarity of the mythical Spartan legislator progressively fades in Machiavelli’s thought in favour of the Roman model, Lycurgus’ reforms are central in Machiavelli’s works on two issues of primary importance: wealth and land distribution. In the first part of the article, I analyse Machiavelli’s use of the ancient sources on both Lycurgus and other Spartan legislators. I show how Machiavelli builds a selective and strategically balanced reading of the ancient sources to build the image of Lycurgus as a pro-popular ruler and of the subsequent Spartan reformers as followers not only of the mythical legislator generally, but also of his most controversial and popularly oriented attempts to reform property ownership in ancient Sparta. Lycurgus reveals how Machiavelli, far from seeing mixed government as the best form of government, promotes a strongly anti-aristocratic model. In the second part of the article, I show that in Machiavelli’s thought the Spartan question can largely be seen as a background for his reading of Roman history, particularly its most crucial, conflictual and controversial period, the Gracchi brothers’ attempt to achieve agrarian reform

Monstrosity and Philosophy

Amazons and giants, snakes and gorgons, centaurs and gryphons: monsters abounded in the ancient world. They raise enduring philosophical questions: about chaos and order; about divinity and perversion; about meaning and purpose; about the hierarchy of nature or its absence. Del Lucchese grapples with the concept of monstrosity, showing how ancient philosophers explored metaphysics, ontology, theology and politics to respond to the challenge of radical otherness in nature and in thought

Introduzione al Forum

UGUAGLIANZA ARITMETICA E UGUAGLIANZA GEOMETRICA: METAFORE DELLA GIUSTIZIA NELLA FILOSOFIA POLITICA E GIURIDICA MODERN

Sur le vide d’une rencontre : Althusser lecteur de Machiavel

Dans cet article je reconstruis la « rencontre » d’Althusser avec la pensée de Machiavel. Une rencontre qui se fait au nom d’un défi au concept de philosophie et à la nature de la pensée philosophico-politique, à travers les catégories de vertu, conflit, intervention dans la conjoncture. Althusser se présente comme un disciple et divulgateur de la pensée de Machiavel. Je vise à montrer, toutefois, que son analyse, loin d’être originale et révolutionnaire dans les premiers écrits, s’approfondit et devient explosive seulement dans les derniers écrits sur le matérialisme de la rencontre.In questo articolo ricostruisco l’‘incontro’ di Althusser con il pensiero di Machiavelli. Un incontro che si fa nel nome di una sfida al concetto di filosofia e alla natura del pensiero filosofico-politico, atraverso le categorie di virtù, conflitto, intervento nella congiuntura. Althusser si reclama un seguace e un divulgatore del pensiero di Machiavelli. Intendo mostrare, tuttavia, che la sua analisi di Machiavelli, tutt’altro che originale e rivoluzionaria nei primi scritti, si approfondisce e diventa dirompente solo negli ultimi scritti, quelli sul materialismo dell’incontro

Espinosa e o poder constituinte

Este artigo considera a contribuição de Baruch Espinosa a uma teoria do poder constituinte. Teorias modernas do poder constituinte geralmente concordam em sua essência paradoxal: um poder que vem antes da lei e funda a lei é ao mesmo tempo um poder que, uma vez que a esfera jurídica é estabelecida, tem de ser obliterado pela lei. A ontologia de Espinosa tem sido reconhecida como uma das primeiras fontes modernas do poder constituinte, no entanto, ele argumenta por uma equivalência estrita entre poder e lei. Este artigo defende que ao ler a teoria política de Espinosa através das lentes de uma imanência radical entre ontologia e história, podemos entendê-lo como uma fonte para a teoria do poder constituinte. Também defende que, através dessa imanência, o pensamento de Espinosa oferece uma solução para o paradoxo do poder constituinte e enriquece as discussões contemporâneas sobre a origem da esfera jurídica e a relação entre política e lei

Winged men and the cast of dice: Anti-finalism and radical materialism in Guillaume Lamy

The controversy over teleology raged in the early modern period with particular intensity. In this paper, I will show that Guillaume Lamy represents a “radical” current of antifi nalism, devoid of weakness, and far from compromise with his adversaries. This antifi nalism makes of Lamy not so much a sincere supporter of the unknowability of God’s ends, as scholars have maintained — in other words, a proto– fi deist — but rather a radical Lucretian materialist, whose aim is to openly distance himself equally from the partial Cartesia

Giustizia e mostruosità nel pensiero greco

This article explores the concept of monstrosity in the archaic and mythological genealogy of the idea of justice in the Greek context. The thesis of this article is that monstrosity, traditionally reduced to a mere archaic legacy, is not simply overcome with the establishment of the new Olympic order. On the contrary, it is used as a tool in its service. Through the analysis of some classical figures of monstrosity, I intend to show that the new order of justice carries with it the indelible trace of its opposite, that is, of an original injustice, at once ethical and ontological

UGUAGLIANZA ARITMETICA E UGUAGLIANZA GEOMETRICA: METAFORE DELLA GIUSTIZIA NELLA FILOSOFIA POLITICA E GIURIDICA MODERNA

UGUAGLIANZA ARITMETICA E UGUAGLIANZA GEOMETRICA: METAFORE DELLA GIUSTIZIA NELLA FILOSOFIA POLITICA E GIURIDICA MODERN