97921 - Space Time: Origin, Evolution and Fate

Learning outcomes

The course will develop from an interdisciplinary point of view the notions of origin, evolution, destiny. At the end of the course the student: has developed a transversal critical approach to the course' topics; will be able to recognize the analogies between different spheres of knowledge, and the usefulness and the limitations intrinsic in these analogies; has experience of working within an interdisciplinary team and to communicate contents within his/her area to expertise to peers with different expertises.

Course contents

All three subtopics of the course will be taught from the viewpoint of different disciplines.

1) Origin:

a) of the Universe;

b) of life on Earth;

c) of humankind.

2) Evolution:

a) of the Universe;

b) of the planet Earth;

c) of biological organism, of humankind.

Keywords: periodicity, equilibrium, time invariance, evolution of a system, ontology of processes vs. ontology of entities, human history and materials.

3) Destiny:

a) possible destinies of the Universe;

b) the destini of Earth;

c) biological design.

Intentionality and its neurobiological basis.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested readings:

Barrow, J. (2018) Il libro degli universi. Guida completa agli universi possibili. Mondadori.

A. Cimatti, "L'universo oscuro. Viaggio tra i più grandi misteri del cosmo", Carocci Editore, nuova ediz. (2020).

A. de Ricqlès e J. Gayon (2015), “Function”, in T. Heams, P. Huneman, G. Lecointre, M. Silberstein (eds.), Handbook of Evolutionary Thinking in the Sciences, Dordrecht: Springer, ch. 6

Fieschi, R. (1994), Dalla pietra al laser. Materiali e civiltà nel corso dei secolo. Editori Riuniti.

Focardi, P. (2019), L’uomo e il cosmo. Breve saggio nella scienza che ci ha resi infinitamente piccoli. 1088 Press.

Gott J. R., "La ragnatela cosmica. La misteriosa architettura dell’universo", Bollati Boringhieri (2016).

Nicholson, D.J. e Dupré, J. (eds.) (2018), Everything Flows. Towards a Processual Philosophy of Biology, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Part I; Part II, capp. 2, 4, 5

Silk, J. (1980), The Big Bang. The Creation and Evolution of the Universe. W.H. Freeman and Company

Susskind, L. Hrabovsky, V. (2019) Il minimo teorico, Raffaello Cortina Editore

Teaching methods

-Seminars and lectures;

-co-teaching;

-class discussion;

-team work

Assessment methods

A seminar on a topic to be agreed with the instructors.

Teaching tools

Online resources: lecture notes, exercises, videos.

Office hours

See the website of Nicola Arcozzi

See the website of Andrea Cimatti

See the website of Daniela Cavalcoli

See the website of Raffaella Campaner