00345 - Aesthetics (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student acquires the basic knowledge regarding the birth of aesthetics, its development and its multiple current tendencies. S/he also gets an idea of its connections with other disciplines, both the theoretical ones (such as poetics, hermeneutics and rhetorics) and those related to arts. The student’s use of the correct terminology and her/his ability in applying the main conceptual and methodological instruments put her/him in the position to critically understand the fundamental notions of aesthetics and to deal with the study of an aesthetical classic.

Course contents

Images of Greek culture: a dialogue between F. Nietzsche, W.F. Otto and M. Heidegger.

First part (6 cfu):

The Greek religious experience: the gods of Olympus and Dionysus.

The first parte aims at discussing the transformation of the classicistic image of Greece through an analysis of the Greek experience of the divine and in particular of the relationship between Dionysus and the other Olympic gods. We will study in depth Nietzsche’s “Birth of Tragedy”, in order to understand the way in which the philosopher, in the wake of Schopenhauer and Wagner, explains Greek tragedy and archaic Greece. Then we will focus on „Götterdienst der Griechen“, where Nietzsche offers a different interpretation of Greek cult, adopting an anthropological approach. Finally, we will take into consideration Walter Friedrich Otto’s view of Greek cult and of the figure of Dionysus, underlining the differences between his position and that of Nietzsche.

Second part (6 cfu):

The dimension of theophany in W.F. Otto and M. Heidegger.

The second part aims at discussing the manifestation of the divine through the differences that Walter Friedrich Otto traces between Greek polytheism and Christian monotheism. We will then analyze the role of the Muses (and of word and song) in the Greek theophany. Finally, we will take into consideration Heidegger’s understanding of the Greek theophany and of art. With this object in view we will focus on some elements of Heidegger’s interpretation of Nietzsche and on the key aspects of his dialogue with Otto’s “theological” speculations.

 

N.B. Those who have to give only the 6 cfu exam, must bring the program of the first part. 

Readings/Bibliography

First part:

F. Nietzsche, La nascita della tragedia, edited by V. Vivarelli, Einaudi, Torino 2009 (first ten chapters);
F. Nietzsche, Il servizio divino dei greci, a cura di M.P. Löwenstein, Adelphi, Milano 2012 (pp. 1-80);
W.F. Otto, Dioniso. Mito e culto, Il Melangolo, Genova 2006.

W.F. Otto, Theophania. Lo spirito della religione greca antica, a cura di A. Caracciolo, Il Melangolo, Genova 1996.

 

Non-attending students must add: E. Berti, In principio era la meraviglia. Le grandi questioni della filosofia antica, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2007.

Second part:

W.F. Otto, Gli dèi della Grecia, a cura di G. Moretti e A. Stavru, Adelphi, MIlano, 2004 (pp. 133-281);.
W.F. Otto, Le Muse e l'origine divina della parola e del canto, a cura di S. Mati, Fazi, Roma 2005 (pp. 25-46 e 85-106);
M. Heidegger, L'origine dell'opera d'arte, in Id., Sentieri interrotti, a cura di P. Chiodi, La Nuova Italia, Scandicci 1996;
M. Heidegger, Contributi alla filosofia (Dall'evento), a cura di F. Volpi, Adelphi, Milano (pp. 395-408);

 

Non-attending students must add: F. Volpi (a cura di), Guida a Heidegger, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2002.

Teaching methods

Lectures, conversations and discussions with students.

Assessment methods

The final proof will take place in the form of an oral examination. During the examination the teacher will assess whether the student has achieved or not some basic educational goals: knowledge of the texts and capacity to contextualize authors and works; comprehension of the fundamental concepts and capacity to provide a correct interpretation of them; clarity in the explanation of concepts and accuracy in the use of philosophical terminology; capacity to establish connections between the various authors and themes from both a historical and a strictly speaking conceptual point of view. During the oral examination the teacher will assess if the student possesses the abovementioned knowledge and skills in a (more or less) complete, precise and adequate way, or vice-versa in a (more or less) incomplete, vague and superficial way. The final grade will correspondently vary from excellent (30 and honors) to very good (30) to good (27-29) to fairly good (24-26) to more than enough (21-23) to merely enough (18-21) to unsatisfactory (<18).

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Cattaneo