29424 - Seminars (1) (LM) (G.D)

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Philosophical Sciences (cod. 8773)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the Philosophy seminars is (1) to train students to engage in philosophical argumentation by exposing them to subjects and texts, not only in Italian, possibly with the participation of scholars from other universities; (2) to broaden and deepen the participants' knowledge of philosophy by offering them the opportunity to attend talks given by specialists in various areas of philosophy; and (3) to complete their curriculum with a comparison between different philosophical styles and methodologies.

Course contents

Truth, disagreement and genealogical debunking arguments

The seminar focuses on the notions of truth and justification, paying special attention to the role of arguments from disagreement and of genealogical debunking arguments in philosophical attempts to undermine or relativize the credentials of our beliefs and epistemic practices.

Readings/Bibliography

Excerpts from:

P.A. Boghossian, Paura di conoscere, trad. it. di A. Coliva, Carocci, Roma 2006.

R. Brandom, Reason, Genealogy, and the Hermeneutics of Magnanimity, m.s. [http://www.pitt.edu/%7Ebrandom/downloads/RGHM%20%2012-11-21%20a.docx].

P. Engel, R. Rorty, A cosa serve la verità?, trad. it. di G. Viano Marogna, il Mulino, Bologna 2007.

M. Ferraris, Postverità e altri enigmi, Il Mulino, Bologna 2017.

M. Fricker, 'Feminism in Epistemology: Pluralism without Postmodernism', in M. Fricker and J. Hornsby (eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Feminism in Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2000, pp. 146-164.

G. Harman, The Nature of Morality, Oxford University Press, New York 1977, ch. 1.

N. Hartsock, ‘The Feminist Standpoint: Developing the Ground for a Specifically Feminist Historical Materialism’, in S. Harding e M. B. Hintikka (edd.), Discovering Reality: Feminist Perspectives on Epistemology, Metaphysics, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science, Springer, Dordrecht 1983, pp. 283–310.

P. Kail, ‘Genealogy’ and the Genealogy, in S. May (ed.), Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morality, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, pp. 214-233.

J. Knobe & S. Nichols, ‘An Experimental Philosophy Manifesto’, in J. Knobe & S. Nichols (eds.), Experimental Philosophy, Oxford University Press, New York 2008, pp. 3-14.

J.L. Mackie, Etica: inventare il giusto e l’ingiusto, trans. B. De Mori, Giappichelli, Torino 2001, ch. 1.

C. MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 1987.

D. Marconi, Per la verità, Einaudi, Torino 2007.

F. Nietzsche, Genealogia della morale, trad. it. di F. Masini, Adelphi, Milano 1984.

A. Plantinga, Pluralism: A Defense of Religious Exclusivism, in K. Meeker e P. Quinn (edd.), The Philosophical Challenge of Religious Diversity, Oxford University Press, New
York 2000, pp. 172-192.

J. Runzo, God, Commitment, and Other Faiths. “Faith and Philosophy” 5 (1988), pp. 343-364.

A. Srinivasan, Genalogy, Epistemology, and Worldmaking, “Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society” 99 (2019), pp. 127-152.

S. Street, A Darwinian Dilemma for realist theories of value. "Philosophical Studies" 127, 2006, pp. 109–166.

G. Vattimo, Addio alla verità, Meltemi, Milano 2009, ch. 1.

G. Volpe, La verità, Carocci, Roma 2012, cap. 1.

R. White, You just believe that because…, "Philosophical Perspectives" 24(1), pp. 573-615.

E. Wielenberg, Ethics and Evolutionary Theory, “Analysis” 76(4), 2016, pp. 502-515.

B. Williams, Genalogia della verità: Storia e virtù del dire il vero, trad. it. di G. Pellegrino, Fazi, Roma 2005.

T. Williamson, Io ho ragione e tu hai torto, trad. it. di D. Marconi, il Mulino, Bologna 2016.

NB: This is just a tentative list, to be modified as the seminar unfolds.

Teaching methods

This seminar's specific aim is to help students to develop the ability to apply argumentative skills in public presentations and discussion, as well as in philosophical writing. After a few introductory classes on the seminar's subject, students will be asked to (1) prepare a presentation on some aspect of the seminar's subject; (2) present it before an audience composed of the other participants and the teacher; (3) reply to questions and comments from the audience; (4) actively participate in the discussion following other participants' presentations. In each session (5) a student will act as a discussant, kicking off the discussion. The general idea is to become familiar with the main roles of scientific discussion and communication.

The seminar is held in the second semester, starting on Friday 14 February. Venue: Room E, v. Zamboni 34).

Students can sign up for this seminar from 21 December 2019 to 31 January 2020: just register on the course's e-learning page:

https://iol.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=45967

Attendance advice: students are advised to attend at least 12 meetings out of 15.

Assessment methods

Students regularly attending the seminar's meetings will pass the exam by making a presentation and by actively participating in the discussion.

The performance of students not attending the seminar's meetings will be assessed through a final written paper (min 3,000 words, max 4,200 words, footnotes and references included) to be handed in before the examination, which will be discussed at the viva.

The exam is meant to assess the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, in particular the acquisition of argumentative abilities and writing skills. Essays will be assessed on a range of factors, including how well the argument is sustained and use of philosophical written language.

The exam will be passed if the written essay is grammatically and syntactically correct and displays mastery of philosophical argumentation.

The exam will not be passed if the written essay contains grammatical and/or syntactical mistakes and/or does not display mastery of philosophical argumentation

Teaching tools

To ease contacts and exchange among particpants, the UniBo e-learning site will be used.

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Volpe