10059 - Moral Philosophy (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the Academic Course, the Student will be able to manage the main questions in Ethics in their historical development. Particular attention will be devoted to contemporary critical debate and to the analysis and study of classical authors and books.

Course contents

Title: Rationalism, irrationalism, escatology. Progress, decadence, nihilism. How do orient ourself? 

The Academic Course will be focused on an historical and theoretical enquiry on the main notions of progress in western culture.

Course attendance is recommended but, according with the current Academic rules, not mandatory. Seminars of Dr. Chiessi and Dr. Scardovi will be scheduled and possible changes related to bibliography will be accepted.

Readings/Bibliography

The mandatory book is:

- P. Vincieri, Momenti di vita etica, Genova, Il Nuovo Melangolo, 2015.

 

In addition, it is necessary to choose texts in one of these groups.

Group 1: 

- Plato, Republic, any edition.

- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, any edition.

 

Group 2: 

- St. Augustine, The City of God, any edition.

- St. Augustine, The Confessions, any edition.

 

Group 3:

- M. de Montaigne, Essays, (in particular: Apology of Raymond Sebond, Book 2, chapter 12, and Book 3), any edition

Group 4: 

- J.J. Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men, any edition. 

- J.J. Rousseau, Reveries of a Solitary Walker, any edition. 

- I. Kant, Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch, any edition.

 

Group 5: 

- G.W.F. Hegel, Lectures on the History of Philosophy, vol. 1: Introduction, The Rationality of History, any edition. 

- K. Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, any edition.   

Group 6:

- A. Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation (only Book 4, and a brief knowledge of the other books in sort of summary), any edition. 

- F. Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, any edition.

- F. Nietzsche, The Anti-Christ, any edition.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Assessment methods

The examination is an oral colloquium on the mandatory book and one of the bibliographical groups, of which is requested a detailed knowledge. The colloquium is aimed to evaluate the capabilities of the student, developed on the analisys of the texts.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Vincieri