73080 - History of Philosophy (2) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course's goal is that of making the students able to deal in autonomy with the reading of classics from the history of modern and contemporary philosophy and of allowing them to gain an idea of the main interpretative and historiographical trends, traditional and more recent ones. The lessons deal with specific themes, analyzing diverse theoretical and argumentative articulations in reference with historical context, cultural diversity and philosophical issues, as well as with the determination of each philosopher's intellectual options. The prevailing seminary format of the lessons are meant to involve students in an autonomous and shared research, conducted with advanced bibliographical tools and discussed in the dialogical forms of scientific communication. 

Course contents

The cartesian and gassendist Naples reflected in the De antiquissima italorum sapientia by Giovanni Battista Vico (1710).

The course will focus on Giovanni Battista Vico's conception of space and on his peculiar idea that space was constituted by tensorial points. It is a metaphysical and scientific reflection that Vico later abandoned to dedicate himself to juridical studies and to the writing of the three redactions of the Scienza nuova. 

Readings/Bibliography

PIETRO GIANNONE, Vita scritta da lui medesimo, a cura di Sergio Bertelli, Milano 1960.

The introduction by Vincenzo Vitiello to GIAMBATTISTA VICO, La scienza nuova, Milano 2012.

CARLO ROVELLI, Sette brevi lezioni di fisica, Milano 2014.

(the text of the De antiquissima with Italian translation is available in GIAMBATTISTA VICO, Opere filosofiche, Firenze 1971).

Teaching methods

lectures. During class the teacher reads, translates and comments on relevant textual passages and thematic nodes.

Assessment methods

Oral examination: Students are recommended to bring the texts when examining.
Students who have attended lectures may agree on exams (whether written or oral) devoted to specific topics.

Assessment criteria and thresholds of evaluation:

30 cum laude - Excellent as to knowledge, philosophical lexicon and critical expression.

30 – Excellent: knowledge is complete, well argued and correctly expressed, with some slight faults.

27-29 – Good: thorough and satisfactory knowledge; essentially correct expression.

24-26 - Fairly good: knowledge broadly acquired, and not always correctely expressed.

21-23 – Sufficient: superficial and partial knowledge; exposure and articulation are incomplete and often not sufficiently appropriate

18-21 - Almost sufficient: superficial and decontextualized knowledge. The exposure of the contents shows important gaps.

Exam failed - Students are requested to show up at a subsequent exam session if basic skills and knowledge are not sufficiently acquired and not placed in the historical-philosophical context.

Teaching tools

texts; during the course the teacher will provide handouts and translations students.

Students who have not attended the course will find educational materials available at the secretariat of the students, via Zamboni 38, second floor.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Bacchelli