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 to improve self-knowledge and the relationship with others; to stimulate critical and argumentative skills with regard to certain topical issues (the needs of the individual, work, social conditioning, etc.).

To this end, 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. Some of the 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.

The monographic course (thematic in-depth studies) 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 and the inconveniences it causes to the individual and the well-being of societies; 2. the tension between personal needs and the social context.

The first in-depth study is entitled "Philosophy, environment and society"; the second is entitled "Nature, Personal Development and Happiness. Freud, Marcuse and the Reality Principle'.

The course aims to develop knowledge and understanding of authors, epochs, problems and theories. References to contemporary and life experiences will facilitate the development of an understanding applied to the social, personal and historical context. In addition to providing knowledge related to the characterising contents of the subject, the course aims at the development of some transversal competences with particular reference to autonomy of judgement, communication and teamwork skills, self-analysis and personal development. The latter objectives will be pursued through three main channels: 1. the general approach of the lectures aimed at showing, within the filigree of the topics covered, elements useful for developing the skills listed above; 2. classroom activities (active participation of students during the lectures 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 oneself and of others.

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 two in itinere tests (one mid-course and one towards the end of the course) 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 "Nature, 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.