The 2008 International Day of Philosophy was celebrated in Palermo, Italy. Placed under the auspices of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, it was able to proceed thanks to the financial support of the Bank of Sicily Foundation. Professor Giovanni Puglisi, rector of the IULM University of Milan, who oversaw the whole project, had proposed as its theme “Rights and Power”: and it was around this twin topic that specialists from many parts of the world presented their work.

This number of Diogenes brings together a selection of those contributions. While they all broadly conform to the general subject of the Day, their greater interest appears rather to be found in the glimpses that they offer of the multiple facets of contemporary philosophy. Indeed, the articles reveal a wide range of approaches and concerns, often anchored, as is the way with philosophical thought, in the life of the cultures and societies of their respective authors. In particular, these texts all seem directed towards an audience which transcends the boundaries of a single discipline with the goal of addressing the whole of the learned world, and even reach beyond it.

While the majority of the articles have been reviewed by their authors, other contributions have been added: it appeared to us that these additions served to complement this selection of philosophical reflections, extending in considered textual form the speculative diversity that inspired the Palermo gathering. We wish to express here our sincere thanks to those who assisted in this work: Moufida Goucha, Feriel Ait-Ouyahia, Kristina Balalovska, William L. McBride, Tom Rockmore, Gérald Bronner, Oumar Dia and Syrinne Snoussi. Giovanni Puglisi graciously accepted to chair this second half of the 2008 conference: may he find in the very variety of this collection the expression of our grateful thanks.