Philosophy in German: Words, Concepts, Tools and Methods

How can philosophical thought belong to a country, to a people? What is the Germany of German philosophy? What is the relationship between German nationalism and nomadism or philosophical cosmopolitanism? Is there really a particular link between the structures of the German language and the foundations of philosophy, to the point of making it more suitable than others to face and develop theories and problems that have always pertained to the philosophical field? The course will try to answer these questions, dealing with the language of German philosophy from a historical and systematic point of view. The examination of its components (e.g. translation, etymology, metaphor) will combine with the study of exemplary cases drawn from central areas of German philosophy and the analysis of selected texts from the classics (Kant, Hegel, Heidegger, Carnap, Wittgenstein). The lectures will also discuss the peculiarities of German-speaking academic communication, also considering the bibliographic tools available to a doctoral student.
Command of the German language is not required.