Elmar Holenstein, Einaudi, Torino 2009, pp. 306, € 65,00 / italiano
With his Philosophy-Atlas, Elmar Holenstein brings an original perspective into the study of the evolution of philosophical thinking. A geography of philosophy – in its broad sense of collective wisdom – is presented as a highly dynamic dimension, rich in points of condensation and vectors of expansion. This approach, besides highlighting things deemed “marginal”, can radically dismantle any Eurocentric bias. In the Italian version, an admirable preface by Franco Farinelli is followed by the author’s introduction and 41 historical maps, each complete with introductory text. These range from the earliest humanisation of the globe to a hypothesis of its cultural reorientation in the 22nd century, with South America at the top.