De Nostri Temporis Studiorum Ratione

De Nostri Temporis Studiorum Ratione is a work by Giambattista Vico, published in 1709. In this text, Vico, a professor of rhetoric at the University of Naples, critiques the prevailing educational methods of his time, particularly those influenced by the rationalistic system of René Descartes.1

Vico argued against the early introduction of formal logic in education. Instead, he advocated for a humanistic curriculum that would first develop students' memories through language study and enhance their imaginations by reading poets, historians, and orators. He believed that young minds should first cultivate practical judgment and common sense, which are acquired through experience, before delving into formal logic. Vico's aim was to emphasize the importance of practical judgment in education, a perspective that echoed John Locke and foreshadowed later educational reformers.1