Leonardo Salvatore
Leonardo Salvatore
Writer - Scholar - Student - Translator
Hello! I'm Leonardo Salvatore, a US-based, Italian-born writer, researcher, and translator with a passion for literature and philosophy.
My scholarship focuses on Ancient Greek Philosophy, Continental Philosophy, and the Philosophy of Religion.
I also write for general audiences, in an attempt to revive a decaying love for beauty and learning.
If I'm not pondering my projects, you can find me reading, playing music, or taking long, long walks.
My main scholarly interests are in Metaphysics, Ancient Greek Philosophy, and Continental Philosophy. Behind these interests lie two foundational questions: (1) What does it mean to be human? (2) How do our conceptions of the human psyche affect our understanding of what it means to be human?
Within Metaphysics, I'm primarily interested in theology. My first journal article examined the kalām cosmological argument, and I've since been pondering the problem of evil. I'm currently investigating the compatibility between natural evil and a benevolent Creator.
Within Ancient Greek Philosophy, I'm particularly interested in philosophical conceptions of play vis à vis psychological and spiritual health. How does play affect the soul? How does play relate to Socratic irony? I'm also interested in translating the ancients' insights into relatable language for the 21st century, be they from Epicurus and the Stoics, Plato's lesser-known dialogues, Boethius' heart-wrenching Consolation, or many others.
.jpg)
The Destruction of Pharaoh's Host (1836) – John Martin (1789-1854).
Beyond scholarly concerns, I indulge in writing for the sake of writing. Though Philosophy always sneaks into my literary projects, I try to separate scholastic formalities from the imaginative license that writing affords. My creative work has been published in Voegelin View, Venti: Air, Aesthetics, and Experience, and is under review by several literary magazines. Every once in a while, I add a few paragraphs to what I hope will become a book-long apology for reading.
Nobel-laureate Günter Grass once said that "translation is that which transforms everything so that nothing changes." Be it translating a language into another, concepts into stories, feelings into actions, or scattered thoughts into cohesive prose—I'm constantly chasing the elusive pursuit of becoming a master translator.
.jpg)
The Creation of Adam (c. 1512) – Michelangelo (1475-1564).
Within Continental Philosophy, I'm attracted to existentialism and psychoanalysis. This interest began with Nietzsche, whom I first met as an irate teen, and who continues to sow doubt and curiosity: how can we become "free spirits"? Can we successfully dispense with all values, or must we always adopt a "granite-like foundation"? These questions culminated in an essay that highlights Nietzsche's realist slant (under review). Other ongoing projects include a study of Schopenhauer's "Will" and a long-term study of play in ancient myths.
I also work on translation. My translation work began with Sarah Kofman's Nietzsche et la Scène Philosophique (1986). As of late 2023, I'm working on a fresh translation of Heraclitus' Fragments.
Development I (1937) – M. C. Escher (1898-1972).