HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

The course offers a historical and critical analysis of philosophical thought in the modern era. It has three general training objectives: to provide knowledge of the authors and topics covered; to provide philosophical tools for improving self-knowledge and relations with others; and to stimulate critical and argumentative skills with regard to certain topical issues (the needs of the individual, intercultural integration, ecology, etc.).

The course aims to develop knowledge and understanding of authors, epochs, problems and theories. In addition to providing knowledge related to the core contents of the subject, the course aims to develop some transversal competences (soft skills) with particular reference to autonomy of judgement, communication and teamwork skills, self-analysis and personal development. These latter objectives will be pursued through three main channels: 1. the general approach of the lessons aimed at showing, within the filigree of the topics dealt with, elements useful for the development of the skills listed above; 2. classroom activities (active participation of male and female students during the lessons and exposure on their part of some of the topics in the programme, shared discussion); 3. development of a specific part - within the monographic course - dedicated to knowledge of the self, of other cultures and of nature. The course is divided into two sections: an 'institutional part' and a 'monographic part'. The institutional part is devoted to the founding authors of modern philosophical thought, from Bruno to Kant. A number of key points of reflection on man, Nature, the possibility of knowing the world and oneself, happiness and other aspects of life and relations with others will be addressed. These authors will be dealt with both on the technical and cultural side and as "founding material" of some transversal competences: their thought in fact stimulates knowledge of oneself, of the reality that surrounds us and, from this, also self-confidence, the development of an existential perspective, the building of positive relationships with others, the development of a rich and meaningful world of values for the person throughout his or her development, from childhood to adulthood. 

The monographic course (thematic in-depth studies) further develops some of these aspects. This year it is dedicated to the relationship between the individual and society, with particular reference to two aspects: 1. philosophy as a tool for analysis and intervention in the face of the current ecological crisis, interpreted from a philosophical and intercultural perspective; 2. the tension between personal needs and the social context. Indeed, it is important that those working in the world of childhood are able not only to transmit positive values to others, but also to orient themselves in the face of a world that seems to be sapping the joy of living and hope in a future that offers opportunities for positive growth and constructive relationships.

The first in-depth study is entitled 'Philosophy, Environment and Society'; the second is entitled 'Personal Development and Happiness. Freud, Marcuse and the Reality Principle'.

1. Oral lectures with slide projections; 2. interactive work with students during the lectures; 3. summary and evaluation of learning. 4. Group work with classroom presentation of one or more texts from the monographic course and collective discussion (optional, depending on the number of participants and Covid-related emergency conditions). 5. IN ITINERE TESTS. There will be one or two in itinere tests devoted to specific parts of the programme. Students who take part in the in itinere comparison and verification activities during the lessons may be exempted from presenting certain parts of the syllabus, according to procedures that will be communicated in class. This solution is optional and will be confirmed at the beginning of the course in relation to the number of participants. It is in any case only valid for those who will take the examination by September. If the course is taught in mixed or distance mode, due to the Covid emergency, the necessary changes may be made with respect to what was previously stated, in order to comply with the syllabus set out in the syllabus.

ATTENDANCE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. It has been found that most of those attending pass the exam at the first call with high marks. The lectures allow a better grasp of the deeper meaning of the topics covered and the general ideas that hold them together. The topics are presented in a clear and engaging narrative. Lectures are also an opportunity for encounters: they provoke moments of dialogue between those present and the lecturer, making study easier and more functional. Lastly, by taking part in the discussion and verification activities during the lectures, it is possible to be exempted from presenting certain parts of the syllabus during the final exam, in accordance with procedures that will be communicated at the beginning of the course in relation to the number of participants.

The course comprises an institutional part (book 1) and an in-depth part (monographic part: books 2, 3 and 4).

The institutional part provides a basic knowledge of the history of Western philosophy, with particular reference to the authors and currents listed below: Giordano Bruno; Scientific thought in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galilei, Newton; Modern philosophy: Bacon, Descartes, Cartesianism and Jansenism, Hobbes, Pascal, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Vico, Berkeley, Hume, the Enlightenment, Kant, the opposition between rationalism and empiricism.

The monographic part includes two in-depth thematic studies: The first is entitled "Philosophy, Environment and Society” (book 2 and 3); the second is entitled "Personal Development and Happiness. Freud, Marcuse and the Reality Principle" and will be analysed - if possible - through reading and group work in the classroom of the text Eros and civilisation (Book 4).

1. M. Mori, Storia della filosofia moderna, Laterza, 2019 [290 pages; also available in ebook format]
2. E. Coco, La fine degli spiriti, Mimesis, 2022 [130 pages]
3. E. Coco, Natura e illuminismo. Il viaggio formativo di Alessandro Malaspina, Olschki, 2022 [120 pages]
4. H. Marcuse, Eros e civiltà, Einaudi, 2001 [230 pages; it is possible to use also the English edition]

In general, the candidate is asked to:

- set out the details of the philosophical system of a certain author (e.g. the philosophy of Leibniz);

- state their critical opinion of a certain philosophical system, giving reasons for their positions;

- draw a comparison between one author and another on a certain aspect of their philosophy (e.g. how two or more authors conceive of substance, morality, god, etc.)

- illustrate a certain historical period from a philosophical point of view (e.g. the Enlightenment)

- illustrate the salient points of a philosophical dispute in the course of time (e.g. rationalists vs. empiricists)

- illustrate the reciprocal influences between a certain philosophical current (and a specific author) and an area of human intellectual and cultural activity (e.g. influences of 17th-century science on the philosophical philosophy of the time and later)

- illustrate the contents of a philosophical work (e.g. Descartes' 'Discourse on Method' or Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason')

- illustrate the meaning of a philosophical term and its concrete flight (e.g. what is meant by 'synthetic a priori judgement' and why it is defined as such)

- illustrate the biographical aspects concerning a certain author and the social influences attributable to him.

NB: These questions are for illustrative purposes only and are therefore not binding. The examination will be carried out in the manner of an open conversion aimed at assessing not only the candidate's knowledge, but also his or her critical and expository capacity, language property, familiarity with technical jargon and ability to express functional and creative intellectual performance. In this regard, it should be noted that the lectures include moments of exchange between the lecturer and the participants that prepare them to intervene critically in the manner listed above.