Key Texts in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The main objectives of the course are the following: to consolidate knowledge of the main lines of the history of modern philosophy, from the 17th to the 20th century; to enhance knowledge of the philosophical vocabulary through a critical engagement with key works; to encourage the application of the knowledge acquired in the study of philosophical texts to the study of authors or problems that are different by era and style.
Expected learning outcomes
Anticipated Learning Outcomes Knowledge and Understanding
At the end of the course students will be able to
Identify salient moments in the history of modern philosophy, from the 17th to the 20th century.
Explain specific areas of the philosophical vocabulary, with special attention to how concepts and their meaning undergo a change over time.
Engage in a close and autonomous reading of one or more key texts in the philosophical discussion from the 17th to the 20th century.
Recognize and explain the main styles or forms of argumentation adopted in the texts studied in class.
Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding
At the end of the course students will be able to:
Engage critically with a modern philosophical text.
Apply, in an autonomous way, the knowledge acquired in the study of early and late modern philosophy to the study of texts and authors that belongs to different eras.
Express clearly and effectively the main concepts and claims learned by studying a philosophical text
At the end of the course students will be able to
Identify salient moments in the history of modern philosophy, from the 17th to the 20th century.
Explain specific areas of the philosophical vocabulary, with special attention to how concepts and their meaning undergo a change over time.
Engage in a close and autonomous reading of one or more key texts in the philosophical discussion from the 17th to the 20th century.
Recognize and explain the main styles or forms of argumentation adopted in the texts studied in class.
Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding
At the end of the course students will be able to:
Engage critically with a modern philosophical text.
Apply, in an autonomous way, the knowledge acquired in the study of early and late modern philosophy to the study of texts and authors that belongs to different eras.
Express clearly and effectively the main concepts and claims learned by studying a philosophical text
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The class shall be devoted to the examination of a key work in the history of modern philosophy, Immanuel Kant's Prolegomena to any future metaphysics that will be able to come forward as science (1783). After presenting the philosophical context of the work, its connections with Kant's previous works - especially with his Critique of Pure Reason - and its aims, the class shall focus on a close reading of the text.
Prerequisites for admission
This exam is only open to students who have passed the exam of Storia della filosofia moderna I (History of Modern Philosophy I).
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons, with PowerPoint presentations or commenting on the texts included in the class programme, along with discussion on the texts and the topics of the course.
Teaching Resources
Material requested for 9 cfu:
I. Kant, Prolegomeni ad ogni futura metafisica che vorrà presentarsi come scienza. Edizione italiana consigliata: trad. it. di P. Carabellese, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2002.
Anon. (C.F. Garve, J. H. Feder), "La recensione di Gottinga", trad. it. di P. Martinetti in I. Kant, Prolegomeni ad ogni futura metafisica che vorrà presentarsi come scienza, a cura di P. Martinetti, Rusconi, Milano, 1995, pp. 361-367.
I. Kant, Critica della ragione pura, trad. it. di C. Esposito, Bompiani, Milano, 2004, Brani da: Prefazione alla prima edizione pp. 7-23, Introduzione pp. 69-87, 101-109, Dialettica trascendentale, pp. 528-583.
N.B. Le pagine indicate delle edizioni consigliate includono il testo tedesco a fronte: non ne è richiesta la lettura.
M. Kuehn, Kant. Una biografia, a cura di S. Bacin, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011, Capitolo 6.
E. Cassirer, Vita e dottrina di Kant, a cura di G. Gigliotti, traduzione di G. A. De Toni, Castelvecchi, 2016.
A list of corresponding literature in English can be requested to the instructor.
Recommended reading, especially for non-attending students:
P. Thielke (ed.), Kant's Prolegomena: A Critical Guide, Cambridge University Press, 2021 (online via Unimi: https://minerva.unimi.it/permalink/39UMI_INST/i9q3jt/alma991017477405006031).
I. Kant, Prolegomeni ad ogni futura metafisica che vorrà presentarsi come scienza. Edizione italiana consigliata: trad. it. di P. Carabellese, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2002.
Anon. (C.F. Garve, J. H. Feder), "La recensione di Gottinga", trad. it. di P. Martinetti in I. Kant, Prolegomeni ad ogni futura metafisica che vorrà presentarsi come scienza, a cura di P. Martinetti, Rusconi, Milano, 1995, pp. 361-367.
I. Kant, Critica della ragione pura, trad. it. di C. Esposito, Bompiani, Milano, 2004, Brani da: Prefazione alla prima edizione pp. 7-23, Introduzione pp. 69-87, 101-109, Dialettica trascendentale, pp. 528-583.
N.B. Le pagine indicate delle edizioni consigliate includono il testo tedesco a fronte: non ne è richiesta la lettura.
M. Kuehn, Kant. Una biografia, a cura di S. Bacin, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011, Capitolo 6.
E. Cassirer, Vita e dottrina di Kant, a cura di G. Gigliotti, traduzione di G. A. De Toni, Castelvecchi, 2016.
A list of corresponding literature in English can be requested to the instructor.
Recommended reading, especially for non-attending students:
P. Thielke (ed.), Kant's Prolegomena: A Critical Guide, Cambridge University Press, 2021 (online via Unimi: https://minerva.unimi.it/permalink/39UMI_INST/i9q3jt/alma991017477405006031).
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final examination consists of a written part and an oral exam.
The purpose of the oral exam will be to test the knowledge and skills acquired by the students in light of the activities and course topics. The oral exam will include a discussion of the written paper of the student.
The written part of the exam consists in a short paper (max. 8000 characters) commenting on a passage from the work examined in the class. The students shall e-mail their paper to the teacher *at least ten working days before the day of the oral exam*.
The purpose of the oral exam will be to test the knowledge and skills acquired by the students in light of the activities and course topics. The oral exam will include a discussion of the written paper of the student.
The written part of the exam consists in a short paper (max. 8000 characters) commenting on a passage from the work examined in the class. The students shall e-mail their paper to the teacher *at least ten working days before the day of the oral exam*.
M-FIL/06 - HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours