00393 - Moral Philosophy

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to deal with the main contents and issues of ethics in their historical development, with special focus on the most recent critical debate, favoring the analysis and study of classic texts and authors. 

Course contents

Course title: On «good». Interpretative processes, from ancient and modern times. 

Contents: The course aims at highlighting the caesura made on the classic-pagan and christian-medieval substantiality of the idea of «good» in the shift towards modernity. Reference shall also be made to authors that are not included in the program.

First lecture: March 7th, 2011. Days and place: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Via Zamboni 38, room 5. Course mode: intensive, second semester.  

Readings/Bibliography

Choose two authors (and critical texts) among the following: 

1)             – Platone, Repubblica, trad. it. di F. Sartori, Introduzione di M. Vegetti, Note di B. Centrone, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1997 (o successive ristampe).

             – M. Vegetti, Guida alla lettura della «Repubblica» di Platone, Roma-Bari,   Laterza, 1999             (o successive ristampe).

 

2)     – Agostino di Tagaste:

            - La natura del bene, testo latino a fronte, a cura di G. Reale, Milano, Bompiani, 2001.

- Confessioni (in una qualsiasi edizione).

- La città di Dio, libri XII e XIII (in una qualsiasi edizione).

 

              – É. Gilson, Introduzione allo studio di S. Agostino, trad. it. Marietti, Genova 1983.

3)            – T. Hobbes, Leviatano(in una qualsiasi edizione, purché integrale)

            – N. Bobbio, Thomas Hobbes, Einaudi, Torino 1989 (ristampato più volte).

Variations shall only be allowed for students who attend class.

Teaching methods

Lectures include both direct and commented reading of texts, and synthetic reconstruction of issues and thoughts. Special focus will be placed on the interaction with students (debates, short essays, etc.).

Assessment methods

Final assessment (oral exam). For students who attend lectures, it can also be on another text, upon previous agreement with the lecturer. 

Teaching tools

Recommended reading, plus photocopies and slides used during lectures.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Caporali