20702759 - HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY

The course of History of ancient philosophy is part of the program in Philosophy (BA level) and is included among the characterising training activities.
The objective of the course is to provide knowledge of the basic issues of modern philosophy (philosophical debates, historical and intellectual background, analysis of lexicon and arguments). Students will read through a classic of modern philosophy and (during classes) will be introduced to related excerpts of other texts in order to understand the basic issues and its legacy.
Students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge to discuss and to develop arguments both in a theoretical and in a historical perspective.
Upon completion of the course students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- Critical thinking on modern philosophy and on its relation to wider issues (both historical and philosophical);
- Language and argumentation skills required for reading modern philosophy and discussing about it;
- Basic capacity to read and analyse modern philosophical sources (in translation).
teacher profile | teaching materials

Programme

Introduction to Kant's critical philosophy: space, time and knowledge

Core Documentation

I. Kant, Critica della ragion pura, tr. it. di Costantino Esposito, Bompiani (several reprints).
Prefazione, Introduzione, Estetica Trascendentale e Analitica Trascendentale
(Critique of Pure Reason: Preface, Introduction, Transcendental Aesthetics and Analytics)

R. Chiaradonna, P. Pecere, La ricerca della conoscenza, volume 2: da "La rivoluzione scientifica" a "Kant" (or selected chapters of any textbook of philosophy: from the Scientific Revolution to Kant).



Reference Bibliography

S. Marcucci, Introduzione alla lettura della Critica della ragion pura, Laterza (any reprint). More literature will be suggested during classes.

Type of delivery of the course

Traditional classes with student-centered discussions and debates

Type of evaluation

The evaluation is based on a written test with open- and close-ended questions. The questions will test the first-hand knowledge of the texts, the lexicon, the argumentative structure and the historico-philosophical context from the 16th to the 18th century. Evaluation: more importance will be given to open-ended questions, their formal correctness and the mastery of the required knowledge. In case of practical problems, the written test may be replaced by a different kind of exam. Please do contact prof. Pecere for updated information during the classes