Abstract

Giambattista Vico’s ‘Nova Sciencia’ can be read as an early program of qualitative research in humanities. By discussing Vico’s theory of metaphor, Vanessa Albus presents Vico as a predecessor of modern neurolinguistics and semiotics. Moreover Vico anticipates in metaphorical terms the flexible rules of actual ‘grounded theory’ as ‘lead lesbian ruler’ or Peirce’s logical principle of ‘abduction’ as ‘salto.’ One may ask whether this is an ‘open agenda of modernity’ complementary to Toulmin’s hypothesis of a ‘hidden’ one represented by Montaigne.