Giambattista Vico und Francis Bacon: «De uno» im Lichte des «Exemplum tractatus de iustitia universali, sive de fontibus iuris»

Reading „De Uno“ in light of Francis Bacon’s „Exemplum tractatus de iustitia universali, sive de fontibus iuris“. Although Vico was admittedly disappointed by Bacon’s Exemplum tractatus, a parallel reading of this text and selected passages of De Uno can provide insights as to how Vico ended up having to confront a series of thorny philosophical problems: how does the universal law project itself into history? where does the law stem from? is there a link between law, occasion, and utility? what are the sources and the scope of authority? whether and how does violence affect the law? what role for religion and piety? how to devise a philology for the laws and ancient fables? Bacon’s scattered aphorisms offer glimpses into problems which find a solution in the all-encompassing order of De Uno.