The Philosophy of Enzo Paci

This is the first comprehensive English-language volume devoted to the Italian philosopher Enzo Paci, a central yet underexplored figure in twentieth-century phenomenology. It brings together leading international scholars to provide a systematic reassessment of Paci’s philosophical project and demonstrate its relevance to contemporary debates.

Enzo Paci (1911-1976) was one of the most important thinkers of twentieth-century Italian philosophy, and the key figure of the Italian phenomenological movement. Paci’s work occupies a unique position at the intersection of phenomenology and Marxism. While deeply rooted in the transcendental phenomenology of Edmund Husserl, his thought develops a materialist reinterpretation of subjectivity, historicity, and the lifeworld, emphasizing the role of embodiment, praxis, and social relations in the constitution of meaning. In doing so, Paci anticipates key concerns of what has recently been described as the “political turn” in phenomenology, including the analysis of power, alienation, and the socio-historical conditions of experience. The chapters gathered in this volume advance a constructive and forward-looking interpretation of Paci’s thought, positioning him as a vital interlocutor for current philosophical inquiry. The volume highlights the enduring significance of Paci's attempt to rethink the relation between knowledge and life, theory and praxis, and phenomenology and critique.

The Philosophy of Enzo Paci will appeal to researchers and graduate students working at the intersection of phenomenology, history of philosophy, and political theory.