Genesis and Structure of Society: Essay on Practical Philosophy
Feb 2026 · Springer Nature
Ebook
188
Pages
About this ebook
Genesis and Structure of Society, Giovanni Gentile’s last work, was based on a university course and published posthumously in 1946. Between August and September 1943, Gentile proposed it as a means of providing comfort during a period of profound personal and national distress. In addition to fulfilling a special “civic duty” to the “future Italy” to which he had dedicated his life, the work was also intended as a contribution to the broader discourse on the nation’s future. It represents an extension of themes that Gentile had previously addressed, including the relationship between the individual and society, the idea of the State as an inalienable precondition of social life, the primacy of ethics in overcoming particularity, and the importance of human character formation as one of the fundamental tasks of education. But this work is also a significant intellectual testament, introducing original ideas such as the rejection of economics as a mere utilitarian or individualistic mechanism, the affirmation of religion as an intrinsic aspect of moral conduct rather than an imposition, and the advocacy of a “humanism of labor” that, in contrast to the materialistic standpoint, elevates labor as the supreme expression of the human spirit.
Genesis and Structure of Society, Giovanni Gentile’s last work, was based on a university course and published posthumously in 1946. Between August and September 1943, Gentile proposed it as a means of providing comfort during a period of profound personal and national distress. In addition to fu...
About the author
Giovanni Gentile (1875-1944), academic, historian of ideas, and politician, is considered the last great Italian philosopher of his era. He played a central role in the epochal school reform of 1923 and founded several institutions that contributed to the development of a ruling class in Italy comparable to that of the great European national powers. His support for Fascism, however, came at great personal cost. His writings covered a wide range of disciplines, including systematic, historical, and philosophical-political works, totaling 55 volumes.
Giovanni Gentile (1875-1944), academic, historian of ideas, and politician, is considered the last great Italian philosopher of his era. He played a central role in the epochal school reform of 1923 and founded several institutions that contributed to the development of a ruling class in Italy co...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
