30413 - Philosophy Laboratory (1) (G.L)

Learning outcomes

The student learns to read and critically analyze philosophical texts and to write a philosophical essay.

Course contents

This workshop is temporarily attributed to prof. Bianchini, awaiting the appointment of actual teacher. The program and all the necessary information will be provided by the beginning of the academic year and in any case before the start of the workshop.

 

General information

The Philosophy Workshop has three main purposes: education to philosophical writing and editorial conventions; introduction to the use of bibliographic resources; introduction to how to read a philosophical classic and how to produce a short philosophical essay about it.

The success of workshops ideally requires regular attendance of all students at all meetings. In order to be admitted to the final exam and achieve a pass, students will need to have attended at least 12 out of 15 classes (24 hours out of 30).

Students can choose from several proposals of Philosophy Workshops. Programmes and teachers’ names are available on the website of the First Cycle Degree/Bachelor in Philosophy (corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/Philosophy). Up to 40 students may attend each laboratory. Classes will be given in Italian or in English, as indicated by each teacher on their laboratory web pages.

Registration for the Workshops takes place by accessing Studenti On Line with your credentials (studenti.unibo.it/sol/welcome.htm), pressing the "Bookings" icon and selecting the Workshop of your interest. Registration will be open for all Workshops from September 1, 2023 and will automatically close, for each laboratory, after the first 3 meetings have been held. It will be possible to register for only one Workshop at a time. Each list will accept a maximum of 40 entries.

Attendance — both face-to-face and online, if streaming is activated — will be verified by signature on sign-in sheets or by log-in online. In the light of several deplorable episodes of signature falsification in recent years, in the event that it is proved that even a single signature has not been made by the corresponding student, that student will be excluded from the final exam and will have to wait until the next year to attend the Workshop again. The same standards will hold for students submitting written exams which are totally or partially copied from published sources or digital texts.

Only in the event of certified inability to attend the Workshop are students allowed to arrange an alternative programme with the relevant teacher of the module in question. Such cases include:

- working students who cannot obtain specific permission to attend the Workshop. These students shall inform the teacher at the beginning of the module and provide a declaration of their employers stating their inability to attend.

- students who are participating in exchange programmes (Erasmus, Overseas, etc.). These students shall promptly provide documentary evidence to the teacher showing their inability to attend on grounds of residence abroad.

For attending students, assessment will consist in the submission and discussion of a short essay on the philosophical text discussed in the Workshop attended. The essay will be evaluated both for form and for content. During the laboratory, teachers will provide instructions on how to write the final essay, and all students are requested to download and study the manual of philosophical writing, which can be found at corsi.unibo.it/laurea/Filosofia/laboratorio-di-filosofia-norme-per-la-redazione-del-saggio-finale (in Italian).

Readings/Bibliography

Salmon, Wesley C. (1992 [1989]). Quarant'anni di spiegazione scientifica. Scienza e filosofia 1948-1987. Franco Muzzio Editore.

Teaching methods

During the first two lectures a general framing of the workshop topics will be provided. In the following lectures students will be led to the reading and analysis of the book subjects and texts. Students should discuss the texts analyzed during the lectures and carry out individual or group talks on part of the texts which are subject of the workshop. The timetable of talks will be defined during the first lectures.

Assessment methods

The final examination aims to appraise the attainment of the following didactic goals:

- learning the basic concepts for the composition of an essay of philosophical matter;

- learning how to read a philosophy classic, comprehending the basic princips of philosophical hermeneutics.

The examination will focus on a presentation and discussion of a short philosophical essay regarding topics and issues dealing with the philosophy classic analyzed during the Reading Workshop. The work will be evaluated as follows:

1. in terms of content;

2. in terms of the conceptual tools employed;

3. in terms of capacity and the mastery of writing.

The draft and the final version of the essay - to be written in compliance with writing directions as defined by University regulations - must be delivered with an advance of, repsectively, at least three weeks and one week relative to the date of the application request in which the student cites his or her intention to sit for the exam. Students should send the text of their work by email to the address of the teacher or provide a hard bound copy.

Teaching tools

Slides and online contents will be used during lectures.

E-learning platform.

Office hours

See the website of Lorenzo Casini