{"product_id":"giovanni-gentile-and-the-state-james-wakefield-9781845407643","title":"Giovanni Gentile and the State of Contemporary Constructivism: A Study of Actual Idealist Moral Theory","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecent moral philosophers have had little to say about Giovanni Gentile's 'actual idealism', which is widely dismissed as a kind of obscurantist Hegelianism used to conceal flimsy justifications for the state's total impunity over questions of morality and truth. While Gentile is increasingly recognised as a major figure in twentieth-century Italian culture, actual idealism itself has yet to be given a full and impartial philosophical appraisal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGiovanni Gentile and the State of Contemporary Constructivism\u003c\/em\u003e represents the first book-length treatment of actual idealist moral theory. Part I describes and criticises Gentile's stated view, showing that it includes several ambiguities that he exploits in order to align it with Fascist totalitarianism. Part II develops a modified version that is more consistent with the basic tenets of actual idealism.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is argued that Gentile's theory is best understood as a radical constructivist doctrine according to which all thinking has a moral character. Rigorously conceived, it promotes not uncritical submission to the state, but free and self-regulating thought in the absence of a fully objective reality. Thus Gentile demonstrates both the plausibility and the limitations of any uncompromising form of anti-realist constructivism.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e James Wakefield\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1845407644\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781845407643\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Imprint Academic (Ips)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/01\/2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 200\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.90lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.40h x 5.80w x 0.60d","brand":"James Wakefield","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44077593297151,"sku":"9781845407643","price":39.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_256e47d7-62f0-408b-a386-c2f5a0caef9c.jpg?v=1685470775","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/giovanni-gentile-and-the-state-james-wakefield-9781845407643","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}