Foundations of Social Sciences in Giambattista Vico

Abstract

Vico is considered to be the father of social sciences in the West. According to him, human nature is a social being. God has made the nature. God knows it best. Human is the creator of culture. As a social and cultural entity, he knows the world of culture with a certain knowledge. Cultures emerge and shape in nations. The first human creations that the cult has emerged are mythologies. Mythology gives examples of the concrete idea of the first people. It is necessary to look at the language in order to be able to examine it in the field of social sciences. Traditions, customs and social institutions are briefly reflected by the language. Language is a culture carrier. In Vico culture, state and civilization is a whole. Vico does not discriminate between material culture and spiritual culture. They produce each other alternately. The understanding of righteousness may change over time, according to the culture of every age and nation. So there are interchangeable relations between cultural objects. However, scientific knowledge of the cultural field can be obtained. Because, it is possible to achieve general principles derived from the unity of human nature in this area.