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

Demonstrating the Existence of God. Reading and Commentary on Medieval Texts

Medieval thought is generally considered as a long, largely homogeneous parenthesis that divides Antiquity and the Modern Age. Yet in a thousand years of philosophical and theological reflection, very different personalities succeeded one another, linked to heterogeneous worlds and cultures. Severinus Boethius, John Scotus Eriugena, Avicenna, Averroes, Moses Maimonides, Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Meister Eckhart are just some of the great protagonists of this history. 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 meanings of philosophy during the very long medieval epoch. The first constant is of a religious type and consists in the fact that all medieval philosophers live in a society in which monotheistic faith has fundamental importance. In the Middle Ages, philosophy, both as theoretical knowledge and as a way of living, cannot disregard reference to monotheism, whether Christian, Islamic, or Jewish. [...] The second constant is of an epistemological type and consists in the role that medieval philosophers recognize, in the construction of philosophical knowledge, to the authoritative texts of tradition" (Catapano).

These two constants lead to the identification of some recurring themes. One of them is the delicate question of the rational demonstration of God's existence. Is it possible, with the tools made available by philosophical reflection, to arrive at an indubitable conclusion?

After a first part dedicated to a comprehensive introduction to the history of medieval thought, the course will focus on reading and analyzing some texts by authors who have attempted to tackle this argument.

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 the existence of God.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Introduction to the history of medieval philosophy

The first part of the course involves the study of the following textbook:

• 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.Demonstrating the Existence of God

• Augustinus, De libero arbitrio, II, 3.7, 6.14, 15.39;
• Ps-Dionysius Areopagita, Mistica theologia, c. 2-4;
• Ibn Sīnā, Ilāhiyyāt (Liber de philosophica prima), I, 6;
• Mōsheh ben Maimōn, Dalālat al-hā'irīn (Dux Neutrorum), II, 1;
• Anselmus Cantuariensis, Proslogion, 2-4;
• Thomas Aquinas , Summa theologiae, I, q.2, art.3.

 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. Catapano, Agostino, Carocci, Roma 2008;
• O. Lizzini, Avicenna, Carocci, Roma 2012;
• P. Porro, Tommaso d'Aquino. Un profilo storico-filosofico, Carocci, Roma 2019;
  
• M. Zonta, Mosé Maimonide, Carocci, Roma 2011.
  

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 texts of Albert the Great to the exam, as part of the test will consist of reading and commenting on them.

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 2025/2026 academic year (1st october 2025 - 30th september 2026), exam sessions are scheduled in the following months: April, 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