00961 - History of Philosophy

Learning outcomes

Students learn to become familiar with currents of thought, issues, main authors of philosophical thought, and to orient themselves in each of their historical interpretations. They are trained in a critical reading of the texts that takes into account the reference traditions, and to evaluate argumentative and rhetorical strategies in the context of the cultural conditioning (institutional, religious, ideological and scientific).

Course contents

Course title: Reason, power, nature: from Descartes to Spinoza. Metaphysicis, physics, anthropology

Important research on Spinoza in recent decades, accompanied by an increasingly in-depth analysis of his philosophical lexicon, has considerably enriched the knowledge of his method of thought, among the most arduous and radical of the entire Western culture. In particular, the study of earlier works, research in the context of development, the unearthing of classical and modern sources, have allowed us to delineate with greater precision the historical-critical data and the issues about which Spinoza’s way of thinking – expression of different influences, languages and cultures – was established and developed. In this respect, the presence of Descartes plays a crucial role and deserves a separate argument. The Cartesian matrix of Spinozism is the subject of a complex discussion, not univocal and, until now, still open among academics. Of course, from his first printed work, Principles of Cartesian Philosophy (1663), Spinoza proposes a practice of comment and method capable of interweaving a profound knowledge and the search for independence, obligation and detachment. On the one hand, he contributes to enhancing and promoting the Cartesian philosophy; and on the other, thanks to significant semantic and conceptual slippages, subtly prepares its critique. The overcoming of Descartes' positions will then end up involving all of the great questions of Spinoza’s philosophy: the substance/attribute theory; the mind-body relationship; the power of the infinite and the status of the finite; the genesis of error and prejudice; the practice of human reason and the pursuit of perfection and happiness.

Starting with these considerations, the intention of the course is to propose a reading of the two thinkers aimed at favouring the aspects of the dialogue that Spinoza – over time and in the dense architecture of his works – will continue to maintain with Descartes. Compared to Descartes, Spinoza collects and relaunches the challenge to the traditional Aristotelian-Scholastic philosophical model, pursuing and radicalizing his work of renewal.

In the classes, particular attention will be given to the following topics: the metaphysics of substance (approximately 6 classes); the images and the characters of God (4 classes); the Divine and natural causality (5 classes); space and the practice of freedom (4 classes); the doctrine of man and the reflection on the scope of affectivity and the genesis of passions (9 classes).

Analysis of the written works listed in the bibliography will accompany the reading of certain passages taken from the epistolaries of the two philosophers, real “intellectual workshops” in continuous tension with the major works and highlights of the circulating ideas in Europe at the time (2 classes).

Readings/Bibliography

1. During the classes will be read the following texts (or any part):

Cartesio, Le passioni dell’anima, a cura di S. Obinu, Milano, Bompiani 2003;

Descartes, Principi della filosofia, Parte I, §§ XIII-LIV e LX-LXXVI; Parte II, §§ XXXVI-XLIII, in Id., Opere 1637-1649, a cura di G. Belgioioso, Milano, Bompiani, 2009, pp. 1719-1749, 1753-1771, 1805-1815;

Descartes, Meditazioni metafisiche, traduzione e introduzione di S. Landucci, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014;

Spinoza, Etica, in Id., Opere, a cura di F. Mignini e O. Proietti, Milano, Mondadori, 2007 (paperback 2015).

2. In addition of the in-depth knowledge of the texts referred to in paragraph 1, students must read two essays, to be chosen from the following list:

D. Donna, Le catene di ragioni e l’ordine della natura. Teorie della conoscenza in Descartes e Spinoza, Milano, Mimesis, 2015;

F. Mignini, Introduzione a Spinoza, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009;

G. Mori, Cartesio, Roma, Carocci, 2010;

S. Nadler, Baruch Spinoza e l'Olanda del Seicento, Torino, Einaudi, 2009;

E. Scribano, Angeli e beati. Modelli di conoscenza da Tommaso a Spinoza, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2006;

E. Scribano, Macchine con la mente. Fisiologia e metafisica tra Cartesio e Spinoza, Roma, Carocci, 2015;

L. Vinciguerra, Spinoza, Roma, Carocci, 2015.

3. For a general knowledge of the history of philosophy from 15th to 17th century is recommended a selective access to one of the following manuals:

G. Belgioioso, Storia della filosofia moderna, Milano, Mondadori-Le Monnier, 2018;

F. Cioffi et al., Il testo filosofico. Storia della filosofia: autori, opere, problemi, vol. 2: L'età moderna, B. Mondadori, Milano, 1992 (e successive edizioni);

L. Fonnesu, M. Vegetti et al., Le ragioni della filosofia, 2: Filosofia moderna, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2008 (e successive edizioni);

Storia della filosofia occidentale, a cura di G. Cambiano, L. Fonnesu e M. Mori, vol. 2: Medioevo e Rinascimento; vol. 3: Dalla rivoluzione scientifica all'Illuminismo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2014.

Further recommended readings

For the purposes of examination - and primarily for students who wish to submit individual reports - may be useful also the following references:

On Descartes:

F. Alquié. Lezioni su Descartes. Scienza e metafisica in Descartes, a cura di T. Cavallo, Pisa, ETS, 2006;

A. Baillet, Vita di monsieur Descartes, Milano, Adelphi, 1996;

S. Landucci, La mente in Cartesio, Milano, F. Angeli, 2002;

E. Scribano, L'esistenza di Dio. Storia della prova ontologica da Descartes a Kant, Bari, Laterza, 1994;

E. Scribano, Guida alla lettura delle Meditazioni metafisiche di Descartes, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2018 (terza ed.).

On Spinoza:

J. Colerus-J.M. Lucas, Le vite di Spinoza, a cura di R. Bordoli, Macerata, Quodlibet, 2015;

G. Deleuze, Cosa può un corpo? Lezioni su Spinoza, Verona, Ombre Corte, 2010;

F. Mignini, Ars imaginandi. Apparenza e rappresentazione in Spinoza, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 1981;

G. Mori, L’ateismo dei moderni. Filosofia e negazione di Dio da Spinoza a d’Holbach, Roma, Carocci, 2016;

A. Negri, Spinoza, Roma, DeriveApprodi, 2006;

C. Santinelli, Mente e corpo. Studi su Cartesio e Spinoza, Urbino, Quattroventi, 2000;

E. Scribano, Guida alla lettura dell’Etica di Spinoza, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2008;

P. Totaro, Instrumenta mentis. Contributo al lessico filosofico di Spinoza, Firenze, Olschki, 2009.

On the theory of human passions in 17th century and in modern philosophy:

R. Bodei, Geometria delle passioni. Paura, speranza, felicità: filosofia e uso politico, Milano, Feltrinelli 2017 (quarta ed.);

F. Cerrato, Un secolo di passioni e di politica. Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Roma, DeriveApprodi, 2012;

F. Piro, Il retore interno. Immaginazione e passioni all’alba dell’età moderna, Napoli, La Città del Sole, 1999.

N.B.: The course program is the same, as for attending and not attending students. Anyway, students who cannot attend classes or who don't know Italian may contact the teacher (in office hours, and not by email) to decide upon any additional or alternative readings.

Teaching methods

The course, consisting of 30 lectures, will be mostly devoted to reading, text analysis and commentary. Students are therefore required to provide the texts at the start of the course.

The illustration of themes and concepts will be accompanied by the reconstruction of the cultural contexts and sources - both classical and modern - that have fuelled and enriched the reflection of the philosophers covered by this course.

Class attendance and direct participation of the students (either through discussion or the presentation of in-depth reports on particular topics) are strongly encouraged.

The course will be held in the first semester and will start on September 24th, 2018.

Timetable:

- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Room C, Via Centotrecento (during the I period);

- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Room A, Via Zamboni 34 (during the II period).

Office hours: Prof. Scapparone office hours take place on Thursday, h. 16-17 p.m. (Department of Philosophy and Communication, Via Zamboni 38, 3rd Floor, Office 3.08).

Assessment methods

Final oral examination, according to the timetable set by the teacher.

Assessment criteria

The goal of the exam is to measure the achievement of the following learning objectives:

1. Ability to navigate with confidence regarding the overall problem of the discipline and to comment analytically on the philosophical texts discussed during the lessons;

2. Knowledge of secondary literature works listed in the bibliography, combined with the ability to learn how to reference them in autonomous and critical forms;

3. Basic knowledge of the history of modern philosophy, from Humanism to the 17^th century.

The student's ability to learn how to operate with confidence and autonomy within the sources and the secondary literature and the possession of a language and forms of expression appropriate to the discipline will be assessed in a particular manner.

Assessment thresholds

30 cum laude: Excellent as to knowledge, terminology and critical expression.

30: Excellent: knowledge is complete, well articulated and correctly expressed, although with some slight faults.

29-27: Good: knowledge comprehensive and satisfactory, essentially correct expression.

26-24: Fairly good: knowledge present in significant points, but not complete and not always expressed with correctness.

23-21: Sufficient: knowledge is sometimes superficial, but the guiding general thread is included. Expression and articulation incomplete and often not appropriate.

20-18: Almost sufficient: but knowledge presents only on the surface. The guiding principle is not included with continuity. The expression and articulation of the speech show important gaps.

< 18: Not sufficient: knowledge absent or very incomplete, lack of guidance in discipline, expression seriously deficient. Exam failed.

Teaching tools

Slides and photocopies (limited to hard to find texts);

Advanced seminars;

Any individualized works.

Office hours

See the website of Elisabetta Scapparone