Abstract

During the years of fascism, the position of the "Rivista di filosofia" became one of autonomy and independence with respect to the dominant national culture. In this connection, Norberto Bobbio has spoken of a period of «benign detachment». This article aims to clarify the nature of this «detachment» by examining the theses advanced by three philosophers who worked for the journal between 1926 and 1945: Piero Martinetti, Gioele Solari and Ludovico Geymonat. Martinetti's articles on metaphysics and morals emphasize the autonomy of philosophy with respect to the political, cultural and religious powers. Solari's articles on political philosophy point show the autonomy of inquiry into social questions with respect to the political claims of those who would promote an absolutist State. Geymonat's articles on the philosophy of science exemplify the independence of a research project the style and method of which is neopositivist and unlike those dominating the Italian philosophical culture of the period.