28066 - History of Political Philosophy (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course will be based on the analysis of history of modern and contemporary political thought from the perspective of the State.
Through the analysis of the State constitution, we will investigate some of the milestone concepts of modern and contemporary political thought - natural right, political power, political subject, pact, sovereignty, representation, citizenship, rights, civil society, constitution, democracy.

Course contents

Power, State and Sovereignty in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Philosophy: Bodin, Althusius, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau

The course will focus on some of the most important European philosophical and political contributions given between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries by Bodin, Althusius, Hobbes and Locke, with a particular regard to the treatment of those crucial concepts in modern political theory such as power, state, sovereignty, legitimacy, civil society and government .

 

Orario delle lezioni

Starting date:September 23, 2020

First semester, first period: wed. h. 15-17 (aula A, 32); Thu. h. 15-17 (aula VI, 38); Fri. h. 15-17 (aula A, 32)

Readings/Bibliography

1. Compulsory readings

Texts that are be discussed in class and made available online as didactic material.

Stato, a cura di Pier Paolo Portinaro, Roma, Bari, Laterza, 2004, pp. VII-XXXI, 8-44

Contratto sociale, a cura di Giuseppe Duso, Roma – Bari, Laterza, 2005, pp. VII-XXXVI, 3-92

Alberto Burgio, Per un lessico critico del contrattualismo moderno, Napoli, La scuola di Pitagora, 2006, pp. 17-112

2 . Students must choose one book for each group:

A

N. Bobbio, Giusnaturalismo e positivismo giuridico, Comunità, 1977

M. Bovero, Società e stato nella filosofia politica moderna, Il Saggiatore, 1979

A. Passerin d’Entrèves, La dottrina del diritto naturali, Comunità, 1980

G. Duso, Il contratto sociale nella filosofia politica moderna, Il Mulino, 1987

C. B. Macpherson, Libertà e proprietà alle origini del pensiero borghese: la teoria dell'individualismo possessivo da Hobbes a Locke, Milano, Mondadori, 1982

B

H. Warrender, Il pensiero politico di Hobbes: la teoria dell'obbligazione, Roma – Bari, Laterza, 1974

T. Magri, Saggio su Thomas Hobbes: gli elementi della politica, Milano, Il saggiatore, 1982

T. Magri, Il pensiero politico di Hobbes, Roma, Laterza, 1994

N. Bobbio, Thomas Hobbes, Torino, Einaudi, 2004

Walter Euchner, La filosofia politica di Locke, Roma – Bari, Laterza, 1976

Francesco Fagiani, Nel crepuscolo della probabilità : ragione ed esperienza nella filosofia sociale di John Locke, Napoli, Bibliopolis, 1983

John W. Yolton, John Locke, Bologna, Il mulino, 1997

The program is the same for attending and non-attending students.

 

Teaching methods

Ex cathedra lessons.

Assessment methods

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

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.

18-21 Sufficient

22-25 Average

26-28 Good-Very Good

29-30 Excellent

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Cerrato