History of Philosophy
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The teaching aims at providing students with an in-depth knowledge of relevant topics in the history of Western philosophy and of their different interpretations. The student will acquire the methodological tools needed to develop an autonomous critical and interpretative assessment of philosophical texts and theories in their historical context.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the course, the student will have acquired:
- an intimate knowledge of relevant themes in the history of Western philosophy, of their tradition and transformations. This knowledge will be gained through close reading of philosophical classics.
- an intimate knowledge of the terminology of philosophy and of the semantic nuances that philosophical terms can have in different historical and theoretical contexts.
- an in-depth philological understanding the way sources are used in philosophical texts.
- a critical understanding of the main interpretative options emerging from the scholarly tradition.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- apply the acquired reading skills to the independent critical analysis of philosophical texts, whose themes and lines of argument the student will be able to assess and evaluate against the background of their tradition and transformations.
- apply the intimate knowledge of the terminology of philosophy to the understanding of its nuances in different historical and theoretical contexts.
- apply the acquired knowledge of methodological and bibliographic tools to independent research in the history of philosophy.
By the end of the course, the student will have acquired:
- an intimate knowledge of relevant themes in the history of Western philosophy, of their tradition and transformations. This knowledge will be gained through close reading of philosophical classics.
- an intimate knowledge of the terminology of philosophy and of the semantic nuances that philosophical terms can have in different historical and theoretical contexts.
- an in-depth philological understanding the way sources are used in philosophical texts.
- a critical understanding of the main interpretative options emerging from the scholarly tradition.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- apply the acquired reading skills to the independent critical analysis of philosophical texts, whose themes and lines of argument the student will be able to assess and evaluate against the background of their tradition and transformations.
- apply the intimate knowledge of the terminology of philosophy to the understanding of its nuances in different historical and theoretical contexts.
- apply the acquired knowledge of methodological and bibliographic tools to independent research in the history of philosophy.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Didattica fase emergenziale (ENG)
In the case that it be not possible to held lessons in presence, they will be held on the platfom Microsoft Teams. Students can follow them either synchronically, according to the timetable of the course, or also asynchronically, given that the recorded lessons will be at disposal on the same platform.
The program and the texts will not be changed.
The examination will be made on the platform Teams or, in the case it will be possible, in presence.
In the case that it be not possible to held lessons in presence, they will be held on the platfom Microsoft Teams. Students can follow them either synchronically, according to the timetable of the course, or also asynchronically, given that the recorded lessons will be at disposal on the same platform.
The program and the texts will not be changed.
The examination will be made on the platform Teams or, in the case it will be possible, in presence.
Course syllabus
"Substance" is a philosophical term of the art, which designates - in the main tradition of Western philosphy going back chiefly to Aristotle - the ultimate metaphysical building blocks of reality. In the early modern period, in the age of scientific revolution, the concept was radically reconceived, while remaining absolutely central for the philosophy, both as a key concept for the metaphysical systems of the age and as a target of empirically-minded criticism. The course will explore these topics through the study of some important debates among some major thinkers of the age - like Descartes, Arnauld, Leibniz, Locke - turning around the criteria for substantiality, the identity of individuals through time and counterfactual situation, and our ways of classifying things. It will also turn out how these discussions prefigurate in many ways some lively debates in present-day metaphysics, philosophy of mind and philosophy of language.
Themes:
Minds and bodies, concepts and substances: Arnauld vs. Descartes.
Individuals and Possible Worlds: Arnauld vs. Leibniz.
Names, Substances and Persons: Leibniz vs. Locke.
Themes:
Minds and bodies, concepts and substances: Arnauld vs. Descartes.
Individuals and Possible Worlds: Arnauld vs. Leibniz.
Names, Substances and Persons: Leibniz vs. Locke.
Prerequisites for admission
No previous specific knowledge is required. A solid knoweldge of the history of modern philosophy is welcomed.
Teaching methods
Frontal Lessons.
Discussions on the topics of the course, starting from students' questions.
Writing exercise.
Discussions on the topics of the course, starting from students' questions.
Writing exercise.
Teaching Resources
R. Descartes, from Meditazioni metafisiche, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010: II Meditazione; dalla VI Meditazione, p. 129.
_______ from Obiezioni e risposte alle Meditazioni: I Obiezioni e risposte (su distinzione reale e formale); IV Obiezioni e risposte, La natura dello spirito umano, in Cartesio, Opere, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009, vol. 2, pp. 96-97, 113-114; 19-198, 210-220.
_____________ Lettera a G. Gibieuf del 19/1/1642 in R. Descartes, Tutte le lettere 1619-1649, Milano, Bompiani, 2005, pp. 1561-65.
S. Landucci, La mente in Cartesio, Milano, Angeli, 2003: ch. II, III, IV, pp. 55-163.
G.W. Leibniz, Discorso di metafisica, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, Torino, UTET, 2000, vol. I, pp. 262-302;
_____________from Carteggio con Arnauld, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, vol. I, pp. 303-330.
________ Le prime verità. Princìpi logico-metafisici;
________ Origine delle verità contingenti;
________ Sulla libertà, la contingenza e la serie delle cause, sulla provvidenza,
in Scritti filosofici, vol. I, pp. 412-427
_______M. Mugnai, Introduzione alla filosofia di Leibniz, Torino, Einaudi, 2001,cap. 6, Individui, concetti completi e mondi possibili, pp. 165-204.
______F. Mondadori, Leibniz and the Doctrine of Inter-World Identity, Studia Leibnitiana 7 (1), 1975, pp. 22-57.
[End of the program for 6 CFU]
John Locke, from Saggio sull'intelligenza umana, Roma-Bari, Laterza, Libro II, cap. 23, cap. 27; libro III, cap. 6; libro IV, cap. 3, § 6 e nota.
G.W. Leibniz, from Nuovi saggi sull'intelletto umano, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, Torino, UTET, 2000, vol. III: Libro II, cap. 23, cap. 27; libro III, cap. 6; libro IV, cap. 6.
______ M. Ayers, Locke: Epistemology and Ontology, Routledge, London-New York, 1991, vol. II, Part 3, Identity, pp. 205-
For non-attending students:
besides the texts listed above, one selected among:
M. Rozemond, from Descartes' Dualism, Harvard UP, 1998: The real distinction argument, pp. 1-38;
R.M. Adams, from Leibniz: Determinist, Theist, Idealist, Oxford UP, 1994: part 1, The logic of counterfactual non-identity, pp. 53-110.
M. Di Francesco, Kripke, Leibniz e la logica modale, in M. Di Francesco, R. De Monticelli, Il problema dell'individuazione. Leibniz, Kant e la logica modale, Unicopli, Milano 1982, pp. pp. 97-171.
_______ from Obiezioni e risposte alle Meditazioni: I Obiezioni e risposte (su distinzione reale e formale); IV Obiezioni e risposte, La natura dello spirito umano, in Cartesio, Opere, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009, vol. 2, pp. 96-97, 113-114; 19-198, 210-220.
_____________ Lettera a G. Gibieuf del 19/1/1642 in R. Descartes, Tutte le lettere 1619-1649, Milano, Bompiani, 2005, pp. 1561-65.
S. Landucci, La mente in Cartesio, Milano, Angeli, 2003: ch. II, III, IV, pp. 55-163.
G.W. Leibniz, Discorso di metafisica, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, Torino, UTET, 2000, vol. I, pp. 262-302;
_____________from Carteggio con Arnauld, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, vol. I, pp. 303-330.
________ Le prime verità. Princìpi logico-metafisici;
________ Origine delle verità contingenti;
________ Sulla libertà, la contingenza e la serie delle cause, sulla provvidenza,
in Scritti filosofici, vol. I, pp. 412-427
_______M. Mugnai, Introduzione alla filosofia di Leibniz, Torino, Einaudi, 2001,cap. 6, Individui, concetti completi e mondi possibili, pp. 165-204.
______F. Mondadori, Leibniz and the Doctrine of Inter-World Identity, Studia Leibnitiana 7 (1), 1975, pp. 22-57.
[End of the program for 6 CFU]
John Locke, from Saggio sull'intelligenza umana, Roma-Bari, Laterza, Libro II, cap. 23, cap. 27; libro III, cap. 6; libro IV, cap. 3, § 6 e nota.
G.W. Leibniz, from Nuovi saggi sull'intelletto umano, in G.W. Leibniz, Scritti filosofici, a cura di M. Mugnai e E. Pasini, Torino, UTET, 2000, vol. III: Libro II, cap. 23, cap. 27; libro III, cap. 6; libro IV, cap. 6.
______ M. Ayers, Locke: Epistemology and Ontology, Routledge, London-New York, 1991, vol. II, Part 3, Identity, pp. 205-
For non-attending students:
besides the texts listed above, one selected among:
M. Rozemond, from Descartes' Dualism, Harvard UP, 1998: The real distinction argument, pp. 1-38;
R.M. Adams, from Leibniz: Determinist, Theist, Idealist, Oxford UP, 1994: part 1, The logic of counterfactual non-identity, pp. 53-110.
M. Di Francesco, Kripke, Leibniz e la logica modale, in M. Di Francesco, R. De Monticelli, Il problema dell'individuazione. Leibniz, Kant e la logica modale, Unicopli, Milano 1982, pp. pp. 97-171.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The oral exam will be a colloquium on the program of the course. The student will be required to explain and comment on a passage from the texts in programme.
Students are expected also to write a brief paper on one topic chosen among a list.
Students are expected also to write a brief paper on one topic chosen among a list.
Unita' didattica A
M-FIL/06 - HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
M-FIL/06 - HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
M-FIL/06 - HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Wendesday 09.30a.m. - 12.30 a.m.
In the office and on Microsoft Teams, Team "Ricevimento SDB" . Access Code: ourk7ks