Nicola Abbagnano was a prominent Italian philosopher and a leading proponent of Italian existentialism. His existentialist philosophy critically analyzed the concept of possibility. In his early work, Abbagnano was influenced by American pragmatism, especially the ideas of John Dewey. He was critical of the philosophical idealism of Giovanni Gentile and Benedetto Croce, which were dominant in Italian philosophy at the time.
Influences and Intellectual Journey
In the 1930s, Abbagnano discovered the existentialism of Martin Heidegger, Søren Kierkegaard, Karl Jaspers, and Gabriel Marcel, as well as the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. After World War II, he encountered the works of Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. Using these diverse influences, Abbagnano proposed a synthesis and critique of European existentialism in a series of books:
- La Struttura dell’esistenza (The Structure of Existence), 1939
- Introduzione all’esistenzialismo (Introduction to Existentialism), 1942
- Esistenzialismo positivo (Positive Existentialism), 1948
These works brought European existentialism to the attention of Italian philosophers.
Critique of Possibility in Existentialism
Abbagnano’s critique centered on what he saw as a repeated misuse of the concept of possibility in existentialist thought. He argued that while the centrality of possibility is recognized by Jaspers, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus, these thinkers ultimately lose the essential indeterminacy, uncertainty, and problematic nature of true existential possibility.
- Jaspers and Heidegger: Abbagnano contended that human existence, according to Jaspers and Heidegger, is understood in terms of an inevitable failure of human projects, such as the failure to attain transcendent knowledge or to live authentically. This, he argued, reduces the idea of possibility to impossibility.
- Christian Existentialists like Marcel: Abbagnano argued that for Christian existentialists, existence is understood in terms of the inevitable success of human endeavors because possibilities such as the quest for love or moral value are guaranteed by God. This conflates the idea of possibility with potentiality, treating existence as a natural development of preexisting dispositions.
True Existential Possibility
According to Abbagnano, true existential possibility must be understood in terms of a situation that both limits and establishes choices for action. An authentically possible choice must be:
- Freely made
- Uncertain: Neither guaranteed to succeed nor guaranteed to fail.
He introduced the concept of a normative criterion called “transcendental possibility,” which posits that the possibility must continue to “remain possible.” In other words, a chosen course of action must remain open and viable over time.
Conclusion
Abbagnano’s existentialism offered a nuanced view of possibility, challenging both the pessimistic and optimistic extremes found in other existentialist and Christian existentialist philosophies. His work emphasized the importance of recognizing the genuine uncertainty and freedom inherent in human choices, thus enriching the existentialist discourse with a more balanced understanding of human potential and limitation.
References
- Abbagnano, N. (1939). La Struttura dell’esistenza. Torino: Taylor & Francis.
- Abbagnano, N. (1942). Introduzione all’esistenzialismo. Torino: Taylor & Francis.
- Abbagnano, N. (1948). Esistenzialismo positivo. Torino: Taylor & Francis.
- Grogin, R. C. (1988). The Bergsonian Controversy in France, 1900–1914. University of Toronto Press.
- Heidegger, M. (1927). Being and Time. Niemeyer.
- Jaspers, K. (1932). Philosophy. Springer.
- Marcel, G. (1949). The Mystery of Being. Harvill Press.
- Sartre, J.-P. (1943). Being and Nothingness. Washington Square Press.