Vico, GIOVANNI BATTISTA, jurist, philosopher, and critic, was born, the son of a bookseller, at Naples, 23d June 1668, studied law at the university, but devoted himself to literature, history, and philosophy, and, after serving as tutor to the nephews of the Bishop of Ischia for nine years, became in 1697 the professor of Rhetoric at Naples. To this poorly paid appointment was added in 1735 the post of historiographer to the Bourbon king, Charles III. of Naples. He struggled most of his life with poverty and latterly with ill-health, and died 20th January 1744. His great work is his Scienza Nuova, of which the first edition appeared in 1725, but the work was completely recast in the second edition of 1730. A third edition appeared in 1744 after its author's death. The work is a treatise of the history of civilisation and of the evolution of law, and in virtue of it Vico is regarded as the founder of the philosophy of history. Though profoundly influenced by Bacon and Grotius, he differs widely from either of them, deriving law from conscience and conscience from the inspiration of God; God's providence is the basis of history. He also published orations, minor works, and a discourse on universal law. As a critic he anticipated Wolf in holding that Homer was not one but many poets.
There are editions of Vico's works by Ferrari (1835-37) and Pomodoro (1858-69), and a full selection by Michelet (Paris, 1835). See the monograph by Cantoni (Turin, 1867) and that by Professor Flint (1884).