The book which I have translated is intended by its author to be the initial volume of a series of his "Philosophical Works." Giovanni Gentile was born at Casteltravano in Sicily the 29th May 1875. He was educated at Pisa and later was appointed to the Chair of Philosophy in the University of that city. In 1917 he received the appointment he now holds of Professor of the History of Philosophy in the University of Rome. He has become famous in his own country on account of his historical and philosophical writings and even more by the number and fervour of the disciples he has attracted. The present work is designed to give form to the maturity of his philosophical thinking.<br><br>The reason which has led me to present an English version is that in reading the book I have not only found a philosopher propounding a theory which seems to me to deserve the attention of our philosophers, but one who has expressed with what seems to me admirable clearness what I find myself desiring and striving to express, - the true inwardness of the fundamental philosophical problem, and the extraordinary difficulty (of which many philosophers appear unconscious) of the effort required to possess the only concept which can provide a satisfactory solution.<br><br>The book is intended for philosophers and addressed to philosophers. This does not mean that any one may set it aside as being no concern of his.