CONTI, AUGUSTO. — Man of letters, historian, philosopher, and statesman, born at S. Pietro alle Fonti, near S. Miniato al Tedesco, on 6 Dec. 1822, died at Florence on 5 March 1905. He successively held chairs in theoretical philosophy, history of philosophy, and natural law at S. Miniato, Lucca, the University of Pisa, and the Istituto di studi superiori in Florence. Elected to the Accademia della Crusca, he served twice as its *arciconsolo*.
Despite the general immediate success of his works, Conti’s reputation, both in his lifetime and after his death, remained controversial. Yet a wholly unfavorable judgment of his philosophical merits would be superficial and partisan. Conti indeed merits unquestionable credit for his vigorous reaction against the currents of skepticism, rationalism, and traditionalism then prevalent in Italy. His philosophy is not eclectic but comprehensive; the criteria guiding his search for truth steer clear at once of agnosticism and dogmatism, resting instead on realities and objective principles such as evidence, love, and faith. It is thus no surprise that his *Storia della filosofia* became an exaltation of traditional, Christian philosophy; yet it would be an exaggeration to rank him among the champions of the Thomistic restoration promoted by Leo XIII.
As a man of letters, Conti excelled in rich, eloquent prose. As a political writer, he championed Italian unification, but always in full accord with the freedom of the Apostolic See. Though an outspoken opponent of a Rome both as the seat of the universal papacy and as the capital of the Italian state, he still hoped that the experiment would succeed.
Principal works, published in Florence: *Evidenza, amore e fede*, 1858; *Storia della filosofia*, 1864; *Il buono nel vero*, 1873; *Il vero nell’ordine*, 1876; *Il bello nel vero*, 1877; *L’armonia delle cose*, 1878; *I nuovi discorsi del tempo*; *La collana dei ricordi nazionali*, 1891–92; *Sveglie dell’anima*, 1902.