The Italian Pragmatists were a group of philosophers in the early 20th century, most notably including Giovanni Vailati, Mario Calderoni, Giovanni Papini and Giuseppe Prezzolini. They gathered around the journal Leonardo, published in Florence. The Italian philosophers were in contact with the American Pragmatists, especially with C.S.V. Peirce and W. James, and developed many original and provocative ideas that made the Italian Pragmatists allies and enemies.

Critics have often stressed the differences between their versions of Pragmatism. This volume emphasizes what they shared, and their value for philosophy and culture.