28017 - History of Ancient Philosophy (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has acquired (1) the in-depth knowledge of a philosophical topic or problem typical of Greek and Roman antiquity and (2) three types of skills: (a) philological – he/she knows how to analyze an ancient text using the advanced philological tools needed for the study of Greek and Roman philosophy; (b) dialectical – he/she is trained to discuss a philosophical problem in a synchronic and diachronic way, through the comparison between ancient and modern philosophers; (c) rhetorical – he/she is capable of arguing exegetical and philosophical theses in oral and written form.

Course contents

«Under Plato’s sign»: uses and abuses of Greek thought in XIX and XX centuries

The use (and abuse) of Ancient Greece has played a decisive role in the definition of European and Western identity. Between the 18^th and 20^th century, in Germany and elsewhere, the idealization of the Greek world generated a polarization between Greece and the Orient, between Athens and Jerusalem, that continues to spark controversy to this day. Insufficient attention, however, has been paid to the role of ancient philosophy: for the idealization of Greek Antiquity results from a selective appropriation of Greek philosophy. Driving the polarization between Greece and the Orient was the idea that the European tradition, as opposed to all other civilizations, is characterized by a distinctive faith in reason. For better or worse, therefore the assumption that the Greek world lies at the foundations of a rational Europe results from the encounter with Greek philosophers, most notably Plato and Aristotle. It is debatable, however, whether this is an accurate description of the Greek tradition, as many thinkers and scholars argued during the 19^th and 20^th centuries, paving the way to new reconfigurations of our relationship with Antiquity. By studying the most relevant testimonies in a comprehensive way, the present project will provide an innovative historical perspective on the extensive and complicated role played by the ancient Greeks in the shaping of the European and Western tradition.

 

Topics

Plato or Homer? Nietzsche’s counterclassicism

A Political Plato? Philosophy’s crisis and democracy’s crisis

Nazi Antigone: Heidegger, 1935

In exile: Athens seen from Jerusalem

Vita activa: Hannah Arendt against Greek philosophers

Readings/Bibliography

An anthology of texts will be made available to students before the beginning to the course.

Teaching methods

A discussion-based seminar. For each session you will be assigned a reading (you will also receive a detailed list of the topics of the course); you are expected to read each text carefully and to actively contribute to all seminar sessions.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

 

Assessment criteria:

30 e lode - excellent: relevant knowledge is fully acquired; context is fully provided; excellent articulation.

30 - very good: comprehensive knowledge, good articulation.

27-29 - good: comprehensive knowledge, correct exposition, adequately contextualised.

24-26 - fairly good: essential knowledge acquired, but not exhaustive and not always correctly articulated.

21-23 - sufficient: knowledge appears superficial and/or incomplete; exposition and articulation are wanting and occasionally incorrect.

18-20- barely sufficient: limited knowledge, little ability to provide context, significant gaps and/or misconceptions.

<18 - failed: essential knowledge is not acquired; inadequate understanding of the historical-philosophical context.

Teaching tools

There will be a course-related web page on the Unibo e-learning platform (virtuale.unibo.it). All students are required to subscribe

Office hours

See the website of Mauro Bonazzi