Abstract

Starting from such pivotal notions as “system”, “universal history” and “psychological-cosmological-ideological” motives, which are at the heart of Cattaneo’s conception, this essays employs some principles taken from his reflections in order to show that his vision of the East and its relationship with the West is both located at the core of Cattaneo’s view of the ongoing process of civilisation and somehow connected with a cross-cultural perspective. As a matter of fact, thanks to his critique of every metaphysical thought, Cattaneo inaugurates the discovery of the historical, sociological, juridical and political complexity of the different peoples belonging to mankind, which enables him to develop an analysis based on the idea of a dialogue with the Other, and the recognition of other worlds and cultures