14075 - Principles of Moral Philosophy (1)

Learning outcomes

Through the study of emblematic texts and authors, the students will acquire the basic knowledge and concepts of moral philosophy: its major historiographic and thematic partitions, the basic vocabulary, and the main connections with other fields of philosophy.

Course contents

COURSE TITLE: doctrines of “good”
CONTENTS: the course focuses mainly on Plato, Augustine, Hobbes and Hume, and it aims at highlighting the major trends of philosophical theories on “good”: the difference between the metaphysic – ontological and the subjectivist-relativist perspective.
COURSE MODE: intensive, second cycle of first semester
FIRST LECTURE: November 19th 2007
DAY, TIME AND PLACE: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 5-7 pm, Via Centotrecento, room C

Readings/Bibliography

I. A. Da Re, Filosofia morale, Milano, B. Mondadori, 2003 (or following reprints).

II. One author from each of the following groups:

A) 1. Platone, Repubblica, trad. it. di F. Sartori, Introduzione di M. Vegetti, Note di B.
Centrone, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1997 (or following reprints

(Possible critical reading: M. Vegetti, Guida alla lettura della «Repubblica» di
Platone, Roma- Bari, Laterza, 1999).

2. Agostino di Tagaste, the following texts:
- La natura del bene, testo latino a fronte, a cura di G. Reale, Milano, Bompiani, 2001.
- Confessioni (any edition) .
- La città di Dio, libri XII e XIII (any edition).

(Possible critical reading: É. Gilson, Introduzione allo studio di S. Agostino, trad. it.,
Marietti, Genova 1983).


B) 1. T. Hobbes, Leviatano, a cura di A. Pacchi, Roma-Bari, Laterza 1989 (or following reprints).

(Possible critical reading: T. Magri, Thomas Hobbes, Roma, Editori Riuniti, 2005).

2. D. Hume, the following texts:
- Trattato sulla natura umana, a cura di E. Lecaldano, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2004,
il libro III (“Sulla morale”).
- Ricerca sui principi della morale, trad. it di M. Dal Pra, Introduzione di E. Lecaldano,Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1997.

(Possible critical readings:
L. Turco, Lo scetticismo morale di David Hume, Bologna, CLUEB, 1984.
E. Lecaldano, Hume e la nascita dell’etica contemporanea, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2003).

N.B.: the critical readings are not mandatory, but they can be useful for understanding the texts.

Teaching methods

During the lectures, great importance will be given to dialogue and exchange of opinions with the students. There might be some seminars.

Assessment methods

Final exam, divided in two parts: the first assesses the study of the textbook, while the second aims at assessing the knowledge of the chosen texts. The student should know the “concepts” in the textbook, and be able to synthetically elaborate figures and problems, while he/she should have a deep and thorough knowledge of the chosen texts, so he/she should bring them along for the exam.

Teaching tools

Books in the program and photocopies that might be provided by the lecturer.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Caporali