00961 - History of Philosophy (A-L)

Learning outcomes

Students learn to become familiar with trends, issues, important authors of modern philosophy, and to orient themselves in its historical interpretations. They are trained in the critical reading of philosophical texts, and in evaluation of argumentative and rhetorical strategies.

Course contents

Images of the philosopher in the modern age

The course is divided into three parts:

I. lecture course

II. general part

III. seminars (one to be chosen)

I. Lecture Course

The lecture course intends to review some images of the "philosopher" in the modern age: in particular, "the fool", the melancholic, the philosopher-architect, "the virtuous atheist".

We will examine the following texts:

Erasmus van Rotterdam, Praise of Folly

Montaigne, Essays. Book I: Chap. VIII, XXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, L;

Book II, Chap. X; Book III, Chap. III, IV, VIII, XIII

Descartes, Discourse on the Method

Spinoza, Ethics (5th Part)

N.B. Students are required to arrange with the teacher the translation of the texts.

II. General part

The general part follows the basic lines of the history of modern philosophy from Descartes to Kant, which the student must prepare on a high school handbook. For example: Storia della filosofia con testi e letture critiche by Adorno, T. Gregory, V. Verra (Bari, Laterza 1979, rist., vol. II), Storia della filosofia by F. Restaino (Torino, Utet 1999, vol. 3/1 e 3/2), Storia della filosofia moderna by M. Mori (Bari, Laterza, 2005).

This general part is completed by an index and a collection of texts on the main course compiled by D. Donna and P. Schiavo. This collection will be available at the Student Secretariat of the Department of Philosophy and Communication, Via Zamboni, 38, second floor.

 

III. Seminars

Seminar I

The Philosopher and the "libertas philososophandi"

We will read the following texts:

Galilei, Lettere copernicane

Spinoza, Tractatus theologico-politicus. Preface, Ch. I-X

N.B. Students are required to arrange with the teacher the translation of the texts.

 

Seminar II

The melancholy of the philosopher

We will read the following texts:

R. Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy. Preface

Pascal, Pensées (selected pages)

N.B. Students are required to arrange with the teacher the translation of the texts.

Readings/Bibliography

Texts and bibliography are indicated in the program.

Teaching methods

Lectures concern specific themes, and intend to analyze them in reference also to the peculiarities of historical contexts, the diversity of cultures and of philosophical problems, and, finally, the determination of intellectual options of individual philosophers. The predominantly seminar format of the lessons involves students in an independent and shared research, conducted with bibliographic tools and discussed in dialogic forms of scientific communication.

Assessment methods

The oral exam, which takes place in the teacher office (Via Zamboni, 38, 4th floor), tends to verify:

1. the historical and philosophical knowledge, the study of texts and bibliography ;

2. the level of conceptual assimilation and critical  elaboration;

3. the properties of language and expression;

4. the ability of orientation of the main lines of classical interpretation and contemporary historiography.

Exam registration is available on-line at AlmaEsami

Assessment criteria and assessment thresholds:

30 cum laude: oustanding

30: excellent

29-27: very good

26-23: satisfactory to adequate

22-19: poor to barely adequate

18: minimum passing grade

< 18: fail

Teaching tools

A. The lectures aim to examine classical texts, which are available in Italian and English translation, but with many references to the original language.

B. The general part follows the basic lines of the history of modern philosophy from Descartes to Kant, that the student must study on a high school manual. For example: Storia della filosofia con testi e letture critiche by F. Adorno, T. Gregory, V. Verra ( Bari, Laterza 1979, rist., vol. II), Storia della filosofia by F. Restaino (Torino, Utet 1999, vol. 3/1 e 3/2), Storia della filosofia moderna by M. Mori (Bari, Laterza, 2005).
This general part is completed by an index and collection of texts on the main course curated by D. Donna and P. Schiavo. This collection will be available to students at the Student Secretariat of the Department of Philosophy and Communication, Via Zamboni, 38, second floor.

C. Seminars offer the reading of significant texts of philosophical debate around the theme of the course, extending it with references to some other authors. The student is required to follow and to prepare for the exam only one seminar (I or II). The seminar format engages students in active participation.

Office hours

See the website of Mariafranca Spallanzani