12191 - History of Medieval Philosophy (1)

Learning outcomes

The course introduces to a rich and remarkable period in the history of philosophy, conventionally known as medieval thought. One striking feature is the continuous coverage (through the analysis of the notion of translatio studii) of Islamic, Jewish and Christian material and texts. Starting in the late eight century, with renewal of learning, a sequence of themes will takes the students until the end of twelve century through the development in many varied fields of medieval thought including logic and language, natural philosophy, rhetoric, ethics and theology. Close attention is payed to the context of medieval philosophy and the discussion of the rise of this particular cultural and theological phenomenon generally resumed under the name of monastic spirituality and monastic conversational community.

Course contents

To Be or Not to Be? On the Frontiers of Medieval Metaphysics

Medieval thought is generally regarded as a long, largely homogeneous parenthesis dividing Antiquity from the Modern Age. Yet in a thousand years of philosophical and theological reflection, very different personalities linked to heterogeneous worlds and cultures succeeded one another. Severinus Boethius, John Scotus Eriugena, Avicenna, Averroes, Moses Maimonides, Anselm of Aosta, Thomas Aquinas, and Meister Eckhart are just a few of the great protagonists of this story. They worked in different historical-political contexts, did not always use the same sources, and sometimes did not even write in the same language. Why, then, do we continue to treat the Middle Ages as a single philosophical "block"?

"There are at least two constants that unite the different senses of philosophy throughout the very long medieval era. The first constant is religious in nature and consists in the fact that all medieval philosophers live in a society in which monotheistic faith holds fundamental importance. In the Middle Ages, philosophy—both as theoretical knowledge and as a way of life—cannot disregard its reference to monotheism, whether Christian, Islamic, or Jewish. [...] The second constant is epistemological in nature and consists in the role that medieval philosophers recognize, in the construction of philosophical knowledge, for the authoritative texts of tradition" (Catapano).

These two constants become evident in the analysis of certain particular themes. One of these is the delicate question of being. In his Metaphysics, Aristotle states that "being is said in many ways." In a controversial passage from the Book of Exodus, God seems to reveal himself as absolute Being. The juxtaposition of these two conceptions—so different and so enigmatic—underlies some of the most beautiful and complex pages of medieval metaphysics.

After an initial part devoted to a comprehensive introduction to the history of medieval thought, the course will focus on reading and analyzing texts by authors who sought to grapple with this subject.

Summary

Of the 15 lectures (of two hours each):

• 6 lectures will be devoted to a general introduction to the history of medieval philosophy. For this purpose, the first point of the bibliography will include the study of a textbook.

• 9 lectures will be devoted to reading and commenting on some medieval texts regarding the problem of being.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Introduction to the history of medieval philosophy

• G. Catapano, Filosofie medievali. Dalla tarda antichità all'Umanesimo, Carocci, Roma 2024 (ISBN:9788829023912), pp. 9-225.

For the use of other universitary-level textbooks please contact the instructor.

2. The problem of being

• Augustinus, De trinitate;
  
• Boethius, De hebdomadibus;
• Ibn Sīnā, Ilāhiyyāt (Liber de philosophica prima);
• Mōsheh ben Maimōn, Dalālat al-hā'irīn (Dux Neutrorum);
• Thomas Aquinas, De ente et essentia;
• Duns Scoto, Ordinatio. Liber Primus
• Meister Eckhart, Utrum in deo sit idem esse et intelligere;

 An anthology with the Italian translation of these texts will be made available on Virtuale

 

For NON-attending students:

NON-attending students are invited to supplement the exam program with the reading of one of the following texts:

• G. Alliney, Duns Scoto. Introduzione al pensiero filosofico, Edizioni di Pagina, Bari 2012;
• A. Beccarisi, Eckhart, Carocci, Roma 2010;
• G. Catapano, Agostino, Carocci, Roma 2008;
• O. Lizzini, Avicenna, Carocci, Roma 2012;
• P. Porro, Tommaso d'Aquino. Un profilo storico-filosofico, Carocci, Roma 2019;

Teaching methods

The course includes a series of introductory lectures and subsequent guided reading of the texts under examination.

Some of the texts listed in the bibliography, as well as any slides, will be made available on Virtual.

The lectures will NOT be recorded.

Assessment methods

Oral Examination. It is recommended to bring the anthology of texts (point 2 of the syllabus). Part of the oral exam will in fact consist of reading and analyzing one of the texts contained in it.

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 correctly expressed.

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

18-20 - 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.

 

Students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders have the right to special adjustments according to their condition, following an assessment by the Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD. Please do not contact the instructor but get in touch with the Service directly to schedule an appointment. It will be the responsibility of the Service to determine the appropriate adjustments. For more information, visit the page: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students .

It is recommended that students contact the University office in advance. Any proposed adjustments must be submitted at least 15 days in advance for the instructor’s approval, who will evaluate their appropriateness in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

 

Exam sessions

During the 2026/2027 academic year (1st october 2026 - 30th september 2027), exam sessions are scheduled in the following months: October, January, March, May, June, July, September.

Teaching tools

Some texts of bibliography and eventual slides shown during the course will be available on Virtuale.

The lectures will NOT be recorded.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Colli