He went on to study philosophy at the University of Pisa, concentrating on the works of Karl Popper and his open society theory, and advocating these principles during the difficult 1970s, the anni di piombo.

Pera has written for the newspapers Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, and La Stampa, as well as for the news magazines L'Espresso and Panorama.

Pera has become a leading opponent of post-modernism and cultural relativism and on this subject, he resonates with religious thinkers.

[2] An atheist,[5] Pera co-authored a book with then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger titled Senza radici ("Without Roots") and is the author of the introduction to the book originally titled L'Europa di Benedetto nella crisi delle culture, or in short, The Europe of Benedict, written by Ratzinger shortly before he became the pope.

[6] Pera's 2008 book Perché dobbiamo dirci cristiani ("Why We Must Call Ourselves Christians") has a letter-preface by Pope Benedict XVI.