00961 - History of Philosophy

Learning outcomes

Students will become familiar with some of the main currents of philosophical thought, and clarify the principal points of contention by textual interpretation and mastery of the relevant literature. They will learn to weigh interpretative categories and methodological tools as they tackle a research topic. They will compare written and oral texts, interact critically with the teacher, raise issues and initiate discussion. What they have learnt they will describe in the appropriate terminology and register for the discipline.

Course contents

Course Title: «This great stage of fools». Reason, madness and knowledge between the 15th and 17th centuries

In the dialectics of Western thinking on the concept of reason, madness - synonymous with either derangement and senselessness or, conversely, the manifestation of a privileged connection with the Divine and exceptional access to knowledge and creativity - is linked unremittingly with a general reflection on man and the misery or excellence of his condition. The philosophy of the Renaissance, as well as celebrating reason as an expression and measure of the dignitas that elevates man above other beings, also offers a previously unconsidered esteem for madness. Madness that manifests not so much as the dark, disturbing space that is the very antithesis of wisdom, but rather as a liberating power defying the disorder and injustice of the present; identifying new concepts of wisdom and morality; and simultaneously reflecting the fragility, disharmony and fleeting nature of life.

Following a general introduction to the theme of madness in the early modern age, the course goes on to examine the writings of Alberti, Erasmus, Bruno and Montaigne and concludes with an analysis of Descartes' Metaphysical Meditations, one of the signal philosophical texts of the 17th century in which the search for truth, on which modern reason is based, starts unlike other approaches by drawing a clear dividing line between madness and the actual ability to think.

Readings/Bibliography

1. During the classes will be read the following texts (or any part). Their reading is mandatory for all students:

L. B. Alberti, Intercenales (Il defunto; Il naufrago; Il sogno), a cura di F. Bacchelli e L. D’Ascia, Bologna, Pendragon, 2003;

G. Bruno, Cabala del cavallo pegaseo, in Id., Dialoghi filosofici italiani, a cura e con un saggio introduttivo di M. Ciliberto, Milano, Mondadori, 2000, pp. 683-750 (altra edizione consigliata, Id., La cabala del cavallo pegaseo, a cura di F. Meroi, Milano, Rizzoli, 2014);

G. Bruno, Eroici furori, in Id., Dialoghi filosofici italiani, a cura e con un saggio introduttivo di M. Ciliberto, Milano, Mondadori, 2000, pp. 755-960 (altra edizione consigliata, Id., Gli eroici furori, introduzione e commento di N. Tirinnanzi, Milano, Rizzoli, 1999);

R. Descartes, Meditazioni metafisiche, a cura di S. Landucci, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010 (Prima e Seconda meditazione);

Erasmo, Elogio della follia, a cura di C. Carena, Torino, Einaudi 2014 (altre edizioni consigliate: Id., Elogio della follia, introduzione di R. H. Bainton, traduzione e note di L. D’Ascia, Milano, Rizzoli, 1989; Id., Elogio della follia, a cura di E. Garin, Milano, Mondadori, 2014);

M. de Montaigne, Saggi, a cura di F. Garavini e A. Tournon, Milano, Bompiani, 2012 (Libro I, capp. 8: Dell'ozio; 30: Della moderazione; 38: Come piangiamo e ridiamo di una stessa cosa; 39: Della solitudine; 50: Di Democrito e di Eraclito. Libro II, capp. 1: Dell'incostanza delle nostre azioni; 2: Dell'ubriachezza; 12: Apologia di Raymond Sebond. Libro III, capp. 3: Di tre commerci; 11: Degli zoppi; 13: Dell'esperienza).

2. In addition of the in-depth knowledge of the texts referred to in paragraph 1, students must read an essay of their choice for each of the following groups:

Group A

R. Klibansky, E. Panofsky, F. Saxl, Saturno e la melanconia. Studi di storia della filosofia naturale, religione e arte, Torino, Einaudi, 1983;

Figure della melancolia. Un fil noir tra filosofia, letteratura, scienza e arte, a cura di S. Bassi, M. A. Galanti, V. Serio, Roma, Carocci, 2020;

M. Foucault, Storia della follia nell’età classica, nuova ed. a cura di M. Galzigna, Milano, Rizzoli, 2011;

J. Starobinski, L’inchiostro della malinconia, postfazione di F. Vidal, Torino, Einaudi, 2014.

Group B

R. H. Bainton, Erasmo della cristianità, Firenze, Sansoni, 1989;

M. Ciliberto, Il sapiente furore. Vita di Giordano Bruno, Milano, Adelphi, 2020;

M. Ciliberto, Shakespeare. Il male, il potere, la magia, Pisa, Edizioni della Normale, 2022;

S. Landucci, Una cosa che pensa. La mente in Cartesio, Milano, Mondadori, 2021;

F. Meroi, Cabala parva. La filosofia di Giordano Bruno fra tradizione cristiana e pensiero moderno, Roma, Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2006;

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

N. Panichi, Montaigne, Roma, Carocci, 2010;

G. Piaia, Sapienza e follia. Per una storia intellettuale del Rinascimento europeo, Pisa, Edizioni della Normale, 2015;

E. Scribano, Guida alla lettura delle Meditazioni metafisiche di Descartes, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010.

3. For a general knowledge of the history of philosophy in 15th-18th century is recommended a selective access to one of the following manuals:

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

C. Esposito, P. Porro, Filosofia, vol. 2: Filosofia moderna, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009;

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.

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 19, 2022.

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 II, Via Zamboni 38 (during the II period).

Office hours: Prof. Scapparone will receive students on Thursday, h. 16-18 p.m.

Assessment methods

Final oral examination.

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 philosophy in 15th-18th 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;

Photocopies (limited to hard to find texts);

Advanced seminars;

Any individualized works.

Office hours

See the website of Elisabetta Scapparone