Benedetto Croce was a philosopher, humanist and historian who made his mark on 20th Century philosophy by publishing <i>La Critica</i>, which was for 40 years the most significant literary and cultural journal of Europe, published bi-monthly. <i>Logic As the Science of the Pure Concept</i> is possibly one of his most important contribution to philosophy. Croce was influenced by Hegel and German Romanticism of the 19th Century and he developed a philosophy that centred on "the spirit," or human consciousness, as the only reality.<br><br>In expanding on these theories, <i>Logic As the Science of the Pure Concept</i> is divided into four parts; Part I defines "pure concept" and "pseudo-concept," as well as individual judgment and logic; Part II is about the distinctions and purposes of philosophy, history, and natural and practical mathematical sciences; Part III is about error and its necessary forms; and Part IV explains the relationship between history and philosophy. <br><br>Croce maintained that pure concepts are ideas which are universal. Human action is oriented towards one of the four aspects of spirit, the Beautiful, the True, the Useful, and the Good. Things Beautiful and True are those touching on spirit, intuition and logic. The Useful and the Good are linked with practical matters, like economics and ethics. In Croce's view, metaphysics and sciences are pseudo-concepts; they are fictitious and not drawn from practical experience.<br><br>In the fascinating fourth part of the book, Croce discusses the nature of history. History, in Croce's conception, is the story of liberty, a story which unfolds through individuals. For Croce, philosophy is the methodology of studying and ordering history. <br><br>Croce's philosophies are neither theoretical nor abstract as they are mostly developed from a pragmatic assessment of history. Those interested in philosophical puzzles, logic and reasoning will enjoy <i>Logic As the Science of the Pure Concept</i> and its novel theories on science, history and philosophy.