04385 - History of Modern Philosophy

Learning outcomes

The course intends to provide basic knowledge within the field of the history of modern philosophy, through the analysis of significant traditions, moments and figures in the historical and philosophical contexts between XVIth and XVIIIth centuries.

Course contents

Impartial Spectators, invisible hands

Moral philosophy and theories of social order in Adam Smith

 

The course will examine the Theory of moral Sentiments, in particular the fundamental concepts of this Work and the relationship between Smith and his main sources (Mandeville, Hutcheson, Hume). Attention will also be paid to the problem of the relationship between the TMS and The Wealth of Nations, with particular reference to the theories of the social order underlying the two works. 

 

Class Schedule

Monday, Wednesday, 5-7 p.m., classroom VI, via Zamboni 38

Tuesday, 5-7 p.m., classroom II, via Zamboni 38

 

 

Starting date: 23rd September 2019

Readings/Bibliography

1. Primary Texts

Adam Smith, Teoria dei sentimenti morali, a c. E. Lecaldano, Bur Rizzoli, Milano 20177

oppure

Adam Smith, Teoria dei sentimenti morali, a c. A. Zanini, Ist. della Enciclopedia Italiana, Roma 1991

 

2. Two texts of your choice:

Giulio Preti, Alle origini dell’etica contemporanea. Adamo Smith, Laterza, Bari 1957

Albert O. Hirschman, Le passioni e gli interessi. Argomenti politici in favore del capitalismo prima del suo trionfo (1975), Feltrinelli, Milano 1977

Ronald L. Meek, Il cattivo selvaggio (1976), il Saggiatore, Milano 1981

Maria Emanuela Scribano, Natura umana e società competitiva. Saggio su Mandeville, Feltrinelli, Milano 1980

Sergio Cremaschi, Il sistema della ricchezza. Economia politica e problema del metodo in Adam Smith, FrancoAngeli, Milano 1984

Otto Mayr, La bilancia e l'orologio. Libertà e autorità nel pensiero politico dell'Europa moderna (1986), il Mulino, Bologna 1988

Adelino Zanini, Genesi imperfetta. Il governo delle passioni in Adam Smith, Giappichelli, Torino 1995

Emma Rothschild, Sentimenti economici. Adam Smith, Condorcet e l'illuminismo (2001), il Mulino, Bologna 2003

Stefano Fiori, Ordine, mano invisibile, mercato. Una rilettura di Adam Smith, Utet, Torino 2001

Adelino Zanini, Adam Smith. Morale, jurisprudence, economia politica, liberilibri, Macerata 2014

 

3. Basic Skills

The knowledge of fundamental authors and themes regarding the history of philosophy between the 16th and 18th centuries is required for the oral exam.

 

List of authors:

Erasmo da Rotterdam, Tommaso Moro, Telesio, Bruno, Campanella, Lutero, Pomponazzi, Machiavelli, Guicciardini, Bodin, Montaigne, Galilei, Bacone, Descartes, Pascal, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Vico, Newton, Berkeley, Hume, Voltaire, Diderot, D'Alembert, Montesquieu, Condillac, Rousseau, Kant.

 

The programme is the same both for attending and not attending students.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons with discussions in class of the most crucial issues.

Assessment methods

The final oral exam focuses on the programme’s material and will be held in the Professor’s office, Via Zamboni, 38 - 5.08.

The critical evaluation considers the fundamental notions, the level of the analysis and the critical skills. On the basis of these three principal parameters an overall evaluation in thirtieths is expressed

Evaluation:

18-21 Sufficient

22-25 Average

26-28 Good-Very Good

29-30 Excellent

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Burgio