12362 - History of Ancient Philosophy (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired: (1) a general knowledge of the history of ancient philosophy from its origins to late antiquity, and particular knowledge of an author, a work, or a philosophical topic specific to Greek or Roman antiquity in relation to its historical context; and (2) three sets of skills: (a) philological – he/she will know how to analyze an ancient text employing the basic tools for the study of Greek and Roman philosophy; (b) dialectical – he/she will have been trained to discuss a philosophical problem in a synchronic and diachronic way, through the comparison between ancient and modern philosophers; and (c) rhetorical – he/she will be capable of arguing exegetical and philosophical theses in oral and/or written form.

Course contents

The Soul and the City: An Anthropological Reading of Plato’s Republic

What is Plato’s masterpiece? Answering this question is either impossible or trivial: on the one hand, much of his written work could be considered a candidate, from his early dialogues to the writings of his old age; on the other hand, The Republic, which lies at the heart of such a vast body of writings, seems to retain its uncontested primacy. But when we try to grasp its central theme—what is The Republic, Plato’s great middle-period dialogue, really about?—agreement suddenly dissolves. The American philosopher Robert Nozick, at the end of his The Examined Life, writes:

“When I was fifteen or sixteen, I used to walk around the streets of Brooklyn carrying a paperback copy of Plato’s Republic, its cover held up for all to see. I had only read a little of it, and understood even less, but I was excited by that book and knew that it must be something wonderful.”

I knew that it must be something wonderful. Yes—but what? And why?

This course is dedicated to a focused reading of Plato’s Republic, with the aim of uncovering its hidden core. The most common answers to the question of what the dialogue is about (justice, politics, constitutions) tend to leave the more attentive reader unsatisfied, as they all seem simultaneously correct yet partial. The hypothesis I propose to explore stems from the search for a common denominator underlying these interpretations, and it ultimately offers a simple answer—one capable of explaining the wonder felt by the young Nozick: what The Republic narrates is the human condition. Not conceived as a static snapshot of a particular historical moment, but explored through its natural process of development and its dynamic relation to both the historical past and the philosophical imagination of the future.

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The course will take place in the Second Semester, Fourth Period.

 

Start: Wednesday, April 9 2026, 11am, Classroom C.

 

Hours:

Tuesday, 3-5pm, Classroom C (Via Zamboni, 34);

Wednesday, 11am-1pm, Classroom C;

Friday, 11am-1pm, Classroom C.

* Any supplementary activities (conferences, seminars, etc.) will be announced on the Facebook page Filosofia Antica a Bologna.

Readings/Bibliography

Sources

• Platone, La Repubblica, edited by Mario Vegetti, Milano: BUR, 2006.
• Anthology of selected passages included in the course handout (for attending students only).

Background Knowledge (materials available on Virtuale)

• Handbook on the History of Ancient Philosophy from the Presocratics to Augustine (for non-attending students: chapters 1–16, from the origins to Aristotelian logic;
  for attending students: the sections indicated during the lectures).
• Chronological diagram (to be memorised in full).

Secondary Literature

(A) Introduction to Philosophy (optional)

• Robert Nozick, La vita pensata, Milano: Bompiani, 2004.

(B) The Author (choose one)

• Mario Vegetti, Quindici lezioni su Platone, Torino: Einaudi, 2003.
• Franco Ferrari, Introduzione a Platone, Bologna: il Mulino, 2018.

(C) The Work (choose one)

• Myles Burnyeat, Culture and Society in Plato’s Republic, The Tanner Lectures on Human Values, 20, pp. 217–324.
• Carlotta Capuccino, Strane Ombre: Una risposta a Jacques Brunschwig, Estetica. Studi e Ricerche, XIII(2023) 2, pp. 399–430.
• Franco Ferrari, La Repubblica di Platone, Bologna: il Mulino, 2022.

 

* Attending students who wish to do so may replace the reading of one of the texts listed under point (C) with the writing of a paper that explores one of the themes discussed in class. Guidelines for this option, along with a list of recommended secondary literature, will be provided during the course.

Teaching methods

LECTURES COURSE (15 lectures)

Adopted methods:

• Slow reading of the sources in the original language and through a comparison of translations.
• Linguistic analysis and semantic fields.
• Argumentative analysis and short essays (pensum).

PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING SEMINAR (an additional 3-hour lecture)

• Editing guidelines.
• Reading essay of an ancient work: form and contents.

Assessment methods

EXAM SYLLABUS

The exam syllabus for both attending and non-attending students is detailed under the section Required Texts / Bibliography and includes:

(1) The study of the primary sources analysed during the course.

(2) The study of the background knowledge related to the history of ancient philosophy from its origins to the classical period.

(3) An introduction to the thought of the author(s) addressed in the course.

(4) A critical essay on one of the works or themes covered in the course.

* As an alternative to point (4), attending students who wish to do so may submit a written paper.

 

EXAM ASSESSMENT

The exam will be considered overall sufficient only if each of its components is individually sufficient. The final grade will be the average of the marks obtained in the individual parts, based on the following criteria: knowledge of historical and philosophical content, depth of analysis, and critical thinking.

 

Grading scale:

• 18–21: low/sufficient level

• 22–25: average level

• 26–28: good/very good level

• 29–30: high/excellent level

• 30 with honors (30L): outstanding level

 

* Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

• Handout with excerpts from ancient works.
• Partition diagrams and concept maps.
• Handbooks.
• Web pages.
• Databases and bibliographical repertoires.

* All materials will be shared in class and made available to students on Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Carlotta Capuccino