The course aims to lead students to acquire the most significant interpretive keys for understanding the change in worldview that has occurred over the long period of the advent of modern philosophy and science, developing the ability to analyze a philosophical text and relate it to the historical development of society and culture, as well as consolidating one's mastery of the specific terminology of the subject.
 

The course will be devoted to an exposition of the fundamental themes that run through the history of philosophical thought in the period between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, touching on the themes of the scientific revolution, the evolution of metaphysics and gnoseology, theodicy, and political philosophy. Of each author treated, one or more letters will be read: in the period under consideration, in fact, correspondences were a fundamental means of dissemination and discussion of philosophical ideas, through an organized network of intellectual relationships capable of transcending borders and censorship (the Respublica litterarum, or République des lettres). The passages read in class will be made available through the Moodle platform.

The lectures will cover the following thematic units in order:

- Introduction: from ancient to modern thought

- The "Republic of Letters"

- Bernardino Telesio

- Giordano Bruno

- Thomas Campanella

- The scientific revolution and Galileo Galilei

- Francis Bacon

- René Descartes

- Pierre Gassendi

- Cartesianism

- Occasionalism and Malebranche

- Blaise Pascal

- Between empiricist epistemology and political theories: Hobbes and Locke

- Baruch Spinoza

- G.W. Leibniz: monad theory and theodicy

- David Hume

- J.-J. Rousseau

None.

Knowledge and understanding: furthrance of knowledge and understanding of 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

The attendance of seminars will be suggested during the lectures.

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

Teaching

Lectures, dialogued lessons, use of images.

Innovative teaching methods

Debate, use of images.

Attendance

-

Course books

• Storia della filosofia moderna, a cura di G. Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 50-67, 83-301, 317-333, 350-361 e 380-394.
• H. Bots – F. Waquet, La Repubblica delle Lettere, Il Mulino
• The letters read in class (they will be made available through the Moodle platform during the course).

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 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.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Self-study.

Attendance

-

Course books

• Storia della filosofia moderna, ed. G. Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 50-67, 83-301, 317-333, 350-361 e 380-394.
• H. Bots – F. Waquet, La Repubblica delle Lettere, Il Mulino
• One of your choice from the following books:
  • P. Rossi, La nascita della scienza moderna in Europa, Laterza (limited to chapters 1-10, 16 and 17)
  • S. Nadler, Il migliore dei mondi possibili. Una storia di filosofi, di Dio e del Male, Einaudi

The study of the book of choice (Rossi or Nadler) replaces that of the texts read in class, reserved for attending students.

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 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.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

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