The aim of this course is to offer insight in the humanist tradition in Europe (Vico, 19th century's historicism, 20th century's philology), with a focus on its "reactivation" by Edward Said before and after Orientalism. This will provide the opportunity to give some hints about humanist philosophy in the 20th century as well as anti-humanist thinking (e.g. Nietzsche, Foucault, Derrida). The stake is the necessity of producing a general critique of the philological enterprise in the last two centuries.