11227 - History of Philosophy A

Learning outcomes

Students learn to become familiar with trends, issues, important authors of modern philosophy, and to orient themselves in its historical interpretations. They are trained in the critical reading of philosophical texts, and in evaluation of argumentative and rhetorical strategies.

Course contents

Course title: ‘Reflections in ink’ and 'crystal hearts'. Agostino, Montaigne, Rousseau among philosophy and autobiography

The course will focus on three works in which an autobiographical structure is overlaid with philosophical reflection: Confessions by St. Augustine, Montaigne's Essays and the Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, with reconstruction of their origin and in-depth analysis.

These works represent personal existential paths and compositions of extraordinary evocative power and intensity, all having in common a link between narrative and reasoning, on the one hand; the concept of autobiography as research rather than simply description and self-objectification, on the other hand.

In these texts the fabric of philosophical reference and reflection on underlying themes (starting with the consistency and uniformity of the first-person narrative) is intricately interwoven with psychological and anthropological insights. The form of expression used by the three authors is based on the choice they have made to open up to others (readers and interlocutors), sharing intimate aspects of themselves - with hard-won but impassioned honesty - with all its inherent limitations and contradictions.

Taking these observations as the starting point, the course proposes a reading plan based on the following themes: personal identity; the nature of time and memory; the human condition and man’s relationship with the extent of truth and happiness; the perception of philosophy as the art of living rather than prescriptive knowledge; the natural world as a source of authenticity and the problems of civilisation; the language of affection and blame.

Readings/Bibliography

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

Agostino, Le confessioni, a cura di M. Bettetini, Torino, Einaudi, 2015;

Michel de Montaigne, Saggi, traduzione di F. Garavini, note di A. Tournon, Milano, Bompiani, 2012;

Rousseau, Confessioni, introduzione e traduzione di G. Cesarano, Milano, Garzanti, 2014;

Rousseau, Le fantasticherie del passeggiatore solitario, introduzione e note di H. Roddier, con un saggio di J. Starobinski, Milano, Rizzoli, 1979 (o edizioni successive).

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:

H. Arendt, Il concetto d’amore in Agostino. Saggio di interpretazione filosofica, a cura di L. Boella, Milano, SE, 2018;

M. Bettetini, Introduzione a Agostino, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2008;

P. Brown, Agostino d’Ippona, Torino, Einaudi, 2013;

E. Cassirer-R. Darnton-J. Starobinski, Tre letture di Rousseau, Roma-Bari-Laterza, 1994;

G. Catapano, Agostino, Roma, Carocci, 2010;

K. Flasch, Agostino d’Ippona. Introduzione all’opera filosofica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2002;

M. Menin, La filosofia delle lacrime. Il pianto nella cultura francese da Cartesio a Sade, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2019;

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

Sognare la politica. Soggetto e comunità nelle Fantasticherie di Rousseau, a cura di M. Menin, L. Rustighi, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017;

J. Starobinski, Accusare e sedurre. Saggi su Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Prefazione di C. Ossola, Locarno, A. Dadò, 2020;

J. Starobinski, Montaigne. Il paradosso dell’apparenza, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1984;

A. Tagliapietra, Filosofia della bugia. Figure della menzogna nella storia del pensiero occidentale, Milano, B. Mondadori, 2002;

A. Tagliapietra, La virtù crudele. Filosofia e storia della sincerità, Torino, Einaudi, 2003;

M. Zambrano, La confessione come genere letterario, Milano, B. Mondadori, 1997 (or Milano, Abscondita, 2018).

3. For a general knowledge of the history of philosophy in late antiquity and in 16th-18th century is recommended a selective access to one of the following manuals:

In regards to Augustine:

La filosofia antica. Dalla Grecia antica ad Agostino, a cura di G. Cambiano, L. Fonnesu, M. Mori, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018;

Filosofia tardoantica, a cura di R. Chiaradonna, Roma, Carocci, 2015.

In regards to Montaigne, Rousseau and modern philosophy:

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

La filosofia dei moderni. Storia e temi, a cura di G. Paganini, Roma, Carocci, 2020;

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 in presence (with simultaneous connection via Teams with students who choose to follow remotely), 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 21, 2020.

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: during the first semester of classes (September-December 2020) Prof. Scapparone will receive students online, through the Teams platform, on Thursday, h. 16-18 p.m.

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 philosophy in Late Antiquity and in 16th-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