The course aims at enabling students to read a classic of modern philosophical literature, by gaining the most significant interpretive keys, the ability to connect the work with the history of thought, and strengthening the knowledge of philosophical terminology.

The first part of the course will be dedicated to discuss fundamental issues in the history of philosophical thought from the scientific revolution to the Enlightenment, with a focus on the problem off theodicy.

In the second part of the course, two classics will be read and commented on: the Monadology, brief presentation of Leibniz's system, and the Candide, well-known 'conte philosophique' by Voltaire. Particular attention will be paid to conceptual themes involved in the Candide: the polemics against scholastic philosophy; Descartes', Locke's, and Leibniz's thought; the Enlightenment ideals.

NOne.

Knowledge and understanding: furthrance of knowledge and understanding of modern Western philosophical thought in its historical and conceptual development.

Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to analize a philosophical text through its historical context, knowledge of the history of its interpretations, its logical structure; ability to build logical and historically contextualized arguments, also applicable to other disciplines.

Making judgements: gain of a critical point of view with regard to a philosophical text and ability to build interpretative hypotheses with autonomy.

Communication skills: expressing, arguing and summarizing abilities.

Learning skills: study methodology, critical abilities, ability to master technical terminology; the student will be able to acquire new knowledge and skills, in order to access to additional training levels.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Ongoing formative assessment tests will be carried out during the course.

Teaching

Lectures.

Course books

- Storia della filosofia moderna, ed. by Giulia Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 83-118, 133-180, 211-224, 235-301, 317-333, 350-360.

- G.W. Leibniz, Monadologia, ed. by Salvatore Cariati, Bompiani, 2001.

- Voltaire, Candido, ed. by Gianni Iotti, Einaudi, 2006.

- S. Nadler, Il migliore dei mondi possibili. Una storia di filosofi, di Dio e del male, Einaudi, 2009.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English.

Assessment

Oral exam on the course books.
The candidate will have to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental themes and problems of the history of Western philosophy through their elaboration in the most representative authors, showing a good argumentative ability, exposition accuracy, lexical competence. The candidate will be asked to read and comment a passage from Descartes’ Meditations on first philosophy and Gassendi’s Objections.
The final evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths according to the following scale: 30 and praise =excellent; 30 = very good / excellent; 27-29 = good; 24-26 = discrete; 21-23 = sufficient; 18-21 = just enough. The exam is not passed when the essential knowledge is not acquired, the understanding of the learned contents is poor and the disciplinary lexicon is not appropriate.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Teaching

Self-study.

Course books

- Storia della filosofia moderna, ed. by Giulia Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 83-118, 133-180, 211-224, 235-301, 317-333, 350-360.

- G.W. Leibniz, Monadologia, ed. by Salvatore Cariati, Bompiani, 2001.

- Voltaire, Candido, ed. by Gianni Iotti, Einaudi, 2006.

- S. Nadler, Il migliore dei mondi possibili. Una storia di filosofi, di Dio e del male, Einaudi, 2009.

- One more book to be chosen among the following:

Voltaire, J.-J. Rousseau, I. Kant, Filosofie della catastrofe, a cura di Andrea Tagliapietra, Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2022.
J. Starobinski, Il rimedio nel male: critica e legittimazione dell'artificio nell'età dei Lumi, Einaudi, 1990 (presente nelle biblioteche di Ateneo).
L. Kolakowski, Se non esiste Dio, Il Mulino, 1997 (presente nelle biblioteche di Ateneo).
For a better understanding of Leibniz's thought, the following (optional) reading is recommended:

- M. Mugnai, Introduzione alla filosofia di Leibniz, Einaudi, 2001.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English.

Assessment

Oral exam on the course books.
The candidate will have to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental themes and problems of the history of Western philosophy through their elaboration in the most representative authors, showing a good argumentative ability, exposition accuracy, lexical competence. The candidate will be asked to read and comment a passage from Descartes’ Meditations on first philosophy and Gassendi’s Objections.
The final evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths according to the following scale: 30 and praise =excellent; 30 = very good / excellent; 27-29 = good; 24-26 = discrete; 21-23 = sufficient; 18-21 = just enough. The exam is not passed when the essential knowledge is not acquired, the understanding of the learned contents is poor and the disciplinary lexicon is not appropriate.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English.