Vico and the Case of the Latent Signifier

Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) was an original theorist working in the Naples of the Inquisition. In his major work, The New Science (1744), he discovered the foundational principle initiating human thought proper, a theory of metaphor as a framework and basis for "latency," the strategy of concealment and secrecy essential to human institutions and communications. In some sense, Vico could legitimately have claimed to have invented the idea of the unconscious, some 200 years before Freud. Supplementary text with notes and bibliography can be accessed at art3idea.psu.ed....

[@senecanzallanute4066]

This is truly remarkable. The first deep analysis of Vico's thought and his consequences for contemporary philosophy I have seen on RUclips (or in writing, exception made for Donald Verene's work). Your lecture will be with me for a a while, but I do have one small factual correction to make. Vico did not live in the "Naples of the inquisition" because the Spanish inquisition ("l'inquisizione al modo di Spagna") never set foot in that city. A popular insurrection in the July of 1547, almost two centuries before Vico was born, prevented that from happening.

[@SamuelDahlmatnetaphisica]

Thank you so much, I discovered Vicco by way of a poet speaking about the poetic principle. I am now working on a play. You explain it so great. Thanks

[@boundarylanguage]

Good luck with the play. Vico is an original thinker who can benefit many kinds of projects.

[@noblephoenix6151]

A brief mention of Vico's connection to the philosophy of natural law in Many P. Hall's book eventually brought me here. Great video.

[@pwoodz45]

What Hall book did you see Vico mention?

[@noblephoenix6151]

@@pwoodz45 the secret teachings of all ages... was that the title?

[@pwoodz45]

@@noblephoenix6151 Thanks, that’s it.

[@noblephoenix6151]

@@pwoodz45 it was literally just one sentence.

[@boundarylanguage]

Thank you. You may also be interested in Amos Funkenstein's "Theology and the Scientific Imagination."

[@lastruebeliever]

Excellent - really useful. Thanks 🙏

[@desto3483]

Love it! Amazing insights and valuable work! Thanks for the great research and graphics. Thanks for the shared paper!

[@boundarylanguage]

Thanks, Desto. Very kind.

[@romeosyne]

I respect what you're doing and I really like this video I've even cited your work in some of my publications. However when you talk about metalepsis as communicating pure meaning and not having any specific meaning in it we're forgetting that Vico said that the Jovian epiphanic storm communicated pudor or shame to those who experienced it. Vico then points out over and over that this is a result of the Providence of the Holy Trinity. Just a thought thanks for the interesting video.

[@romeosyne]

I listened to your video again and now I kinda see where you went with it you kind of cover the basees there and let's face it not every Vico reader wants to pay attention to the theological part and you can make a very consistent reading without it so I think that's what you're doing keep it up I like it. It's the more humanistic reading of Vico. I like the link you made to Freud too.

[@emamuelp]

Outsanding insights. Thank you

[@boundarylanguage]

thanks very much. I'm still learning.

[@sous-titreenfrancais8471]

❤

[@OMWTG]

I came here by way of a commodious Vicus of recirculation.

[@mrmanjumac3454]

Dude same! Damn environs and Howth Castle! Reading Vico makes Finnegans Wake more fun

[@boundarylanguage]

hah hah. Yes, same here.

[@lotharlamurtra7924]

This is James Joyce oh yes!

[@Embellier]

Fascinating

[@boundarylanguage]

thank you

[@beybenmici6268]

Thank you so much for this very insightfull video , it has helped me tremedously to better understand and use the ideas of Vico for my thesis as an architect .
Could you please help me further my understanding of the concept of Latency as english isn't my first language , you equate it to the freudian unconscious , are they synomnyms in some senses ?
Or is there more diffrences ?
thanks again .

[@boundarylanguage]

If we could use email I would be happy to help. [e-mail]

[@boundarylanguage]

For now, latency is a function in metaphor by which a signifier is repressed in order to create meanings out of its absence. You may know of Sartre's famous case of "Pierre, who did not arrive." Latency works within a virtuality/dimension that conceals potential meanings and actions, but it cannot be simply uncovered. The first humans developed sciences of divination to address latency and use it as the first "legal system." It is directly connected to the Freudian Unconscious, and also Lacan's "master signifier," a signifier that is meaningless in itself but organizes other signifiers. If you email me, i will be happy to try to say more. Good luck with your work.

[@SamuelDahlmatnetaphisica]

Vicco mentions Metaphysiscs.