Abstract
In his 'Masks of Meaning: Existentialist Humanism in Hayden White's Philosophy of History' (2006), Herman Paul characterizes Hayden White's philosophy as a form of voluntaristic existentialist humanism. On the basis of White's relationship with Italian philosophers Benedetto Croce and Giovanni Gentile, it can be seen that though White's philosophy does have some existentialist traits, it cannot be seen as voluntaristic. In his attempts to go beyond Croce's irony, White eventually came to hold a position similar to Gentile's 'etica del sapere,' though without adopting his fascist political outlook.