LIBRI DI THOMAS CASADEI

In the last decades there has been new «cases» for the theory of the just war. This theory is more and more invoked to justify military interventions, thus becoming increasingly comprehensive. This led one of the most known and discussed interpreters, Michael Walzer, to an apparent radicalization of his former positions, tending to define the limits more than the possibilities of military interventions. This extension shows the vitality of the theory, but on the other side reveals more patently its aporias, and more, it risk to give the way to a sort of «short-circuit» both in regard of other Walzer’s theories (such as the pluralistic approach, the emancipative possibilities of «inner criticism», the central role of politic in the human vicissitudes, the crucial relevance of social justice), and in regard of the «secular» form of justification and the legimization of military conflicts which is brought about by the same idea of the «just» war.

In the year of the centenary of the birth, Guido Calogero’s work and life (1904-1986) who was philosopher, antifascist, engaged intellectual, liberal-socialist theorist, teacher for a whole generation reach now their highest clebrity, since his political thought has been rediscovered and deepened in the last years. There have been celebrations and studies, concerned with aspects of his philosophical, pedagogical, ethical and political thinking. Starting from the new edition of La scuola dell’uomo, this essay sets forth some considerations on three closely intertwined issues, the idea of liberty, the connection between education and democracy, the ethical vision and the relationship between the individual and the otherness. From the text, the «feeling of boundary» emerges with its theoretical and practical importance. This could be read as an original interpretative key for the praxis of democracy and to sketch Calogero’s ethical and political theory. His ethical and political lecture gives instuments to face delicate issues of today’s life as well, as it is demonstrated by a complex vision of liberty, an ethic conceived as very close to the ethic of care (such as that elaborated by the theoretical feminism of the last years), the connection between civil education and the assets of a pluralistic democracy.

The aim of the essay is to show the fundamental aspects of the renewed interest, in particular in the political-philosophical and social political fields, for John Dewey’s thought. Since ten years we are in fact experiencing a real Dewey Renaissance in America (especially Cornel West’s reading of Dewey’s works), in Europe (as Axel Honneth’s recent contribution shows), and in Italy as well (Mario Alcaro, Nadia Urbinati just to name few students). There is as well quite a close relationship between Dewey and one of the most important contemporary political philosophers, Michael Walzer; many links seem to exist between Walzer’s works and those of the most well-known interpreter of pragmatism. The two perspectives seem to define a project of (social) democratic radicalism quite particular in contemporary political theory. Concluding, Dewey’s works, even if problematical, seem to offer an occasion to develop an approach to analysing the most relevant issues of contemporary debate.