Riflessioni sul contributo e i motivi della fortuna del naturalismo epicureo lucreziano nel dibattito linguistico moderno

This article aims to reconstruct the influence of Epicurean-Lucretian naturalism on the 18 th century linguistic debate. Epicurean philosophy, after its rediscovery in the early 15th century, spread rapidly and significantly influenced the development of philosophical reflection, especially in the ethical-political and epistemological fields. However, its impact on linguistic reflection has been less explored. Since antiquity, the Epicurean-Lucretian position has distinguished itself within the space of linguistic reflection by emphasising the genesis of language and its emotional and instinctual aspects. In the Modern era, as cultural, historical, and scientific shifts profoundly altered the epistemological paradigm, requiring a rethinking of the entire edifice of knowledge, Epicurean philosophy emerged as an alternative to the medieval Scholastic-Aristotelian model. According to Cassirer, the rediscovery of Epicurus in the modern age contributed to broadening the perspective on language beyond the gnoseological perspective, which was central to both rationalism and empiricism, by drawing attention to the emotional aspect of glottogenesis and the spontaneous emergence of phonic-articulate language from gestures and early vocalisations. By analysing the positions of Condillac, Rousseau, and Vico on the origin of language, it is possible to reconstruct this aspect of the Epicurean influence.