The course of Philosophy of History is part of the program in Philosophy and it is included among the characterizing training activities. In addition to presenting the historical-theoretical lines of the theme of the course, there will be a critical analysis of the texts indicated in the program and an exposition of their effects on the context of today's philosophy.
The aim of the course is
- to provide the basic tools for understanding the vocabulary and some of the main problems involved in the development of the concepts addressed in the course;
-to improve the critical and argumentative skills of the students and to train them in the comparative analysis of the topics and authors taken into consideration.
At the end of the course students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- in-depth knowledge of the basic philosophical lexicon, also in relation to its historical evolution;
- understanding of the basic problems of metaphysics, logic and theory of knowledge, with attention to the different lines of the contemporary debate;
- ability to interpret and discuss the theses proposed by philosophical texts of reference;
- training in critical skills through comparison with other forms of knowledge of Western culture.
The aim of the course is
- to provide the basic tools for understanding the vocabulary and some of the main problems involved in the development of the concepts addressed in the course;
-to improve the critical and argumentative skills of the students and to train them in the comparative analysis of the topics and authors taken into consideration.
At the end of the course students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- in-depth knowledge of the basic philosophical lexicon, also in relation to its historical evolution;
- understanding of the basic problems of metaphysics, logic and theory of knowledge, with attention to the different lines of the contemporary debate;
- ability to interpret and discuss the theses proposed by philosophical texts of reference;
- training in critical skills through comparison with other forms of knowledge of Western culture.
teacher profile teaching materials
Module A (6 CFUs)
The program of Module A will cover the following topics:
- Introduction to the historical-theoretical meanings of the notion of consciousness
- Exposition of some essays by William James regarding the philosophical problem of the "matter of mind" and of the nature and function of consciousness
- Exposition of Henri Bergson's theory of the immediate data of consciousness and the nature of temporality
Module B (6 CFU)
The program of Module B will cover the following topics:
- Exposition and analysis of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's philosophical investigation of the relationship between the structure of behavior and consciousness
- Exposition and analysis of Anil Seth's proposal on the relationship between consciousness and the brain.
William James, Are We Automata?, in Essays in Psychology, edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by W.R. Woodward, Harvard University Press 1984.
William James, The Spatial Quale, in Essays in Psychology, edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by W.R. Woodward, Harvard University Press 1984.
William James, Principles of Psychology. edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by R.B. Evans and G.E. Myers, Harvard University Press 1890/1981, chapters VI and IX.
Michela Bella, Ontology after Philosophical Psychology. The Continuity of Consciousness in William James's Philosophy of Mind, Lexington 2019, pp. 1-59.
Recommended texts.
Horace Kallen William James and Henri Bergson: A Study in Contrasting Theories of Life, Createspace Independent Pub 1914
Module B
Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Structure of Behavior, Duquesne University 1983
Anil Seth, Being You. A New Science of Consciousness, Dutton 2021
Recommended texts.
Emmanuel Alloa, Resistance of the Sensible World: An Introduction to Merleau-Ponty, Jane Todd (tr.), Fordham University Press, 2017
Programme
The course will examine the topic of consciousness through the analysis of some classic and contemporary texts from the philosophical, psychological and neuroscientific literature. Problematic issues regarding the nature and function of consciousness will be investigated from an interdisciplinary perspective that interweaves philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences.Module A (6 CFUs)
The program of Module A will cover the following topics:
- Introduction to the historical-theoretical meanings of the notion of consciousness
- Exposition of some essays by William James regarding the philosophical problem of the "matter of mind" and of the nature and function of consciousness
- Exposition of Henri Bergson's theory of the immediate data of consciousness and the nature of temporality
Module B (6 CFU)
The program of Module B will cover the following topics:
- Exposition and analysis of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's philosophical investigation of the relationship between the structure of behavior and consciousness
- Exposition and analysis of Anil Seth's proposal on the relationship between consciousness and the brain.
Core Documentation
Module AWilliam James, Are We Automata?, in Essays in Psychology, edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by W.R. Woodward, Harvard University Press 1984.
William James, The Spatial Quale, in Essays in Psychology, edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by W.R. Woodward, Harvard University Press 1984.
William James, Principles of Psychology. edited by F.H. Burkhardt, F. Bowers, and I.K. Skrupskelis. Introductions by R.B. Evans and G.E. Myers, Harvard University Press 1890/1981, chapters VI and IX.
Michela Bella, Ontology after Philosophical Psychology. The Continuity of Consciousness in William James's Philosophy of Mind, Lexington 2019, pp. 1-59.
Recommended texts.
Horace Kallen William James and Henri Bergson: A Study in Contrasting Theories of Life, Createspace Independent Pub 1914
Module B
Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Structure of Behavior, Duquesne University 1983
Anil Seth, Being You. A New Science of Consciousness, Dutton 2021
Recommended texts.
Emmanuel Alloa, Resistance of the Sensible World: An Introduction to Merleau-Ponty, Jane Todd (tr.), Fordham University Press, 2017
Type of delivery of the course
The course consists of Lectures; Seminars; students' talks. Any written papers, valid for the exam, will be organized during the course and communicated through the website FILCOSPE, in the "Didactics" section of Prof. Baggio’s personal page (https://www.uniroma3.it/en/persone/SUQvVGsrWERoMUV6dHBTY0docklza0NpeEhxN2FMQkhKdlhVMGEwN1RTMD0=/insegnamenti/). In the case of an extension of the health emergency caused by COVID-19, all the instructions that regulate the modalities of educational activities and student evaluation will be implemented. In particular, the following modalities will be applied: remote teaching through the University's platforms (Moodle and Microsoft Teams).Attendance
Attendance is not mandatory but particularly recommended. It is recommended to attend the course starting from the second year. Not attending students have to study for the oral exam an additional text to choose from those indicated, for each module, in the section "Recommended texts". A written text on a topic to be agreed with the professor is also expected.Type of evaluation
The evaluation takes place through a final oral examination on the topics and texts considered during the course and an evaluation of the active participation in class and in group works. The study by students attending the course of one of the "Recommended Texts" will be properly taken into account for the evaluation of the exam. Not attending students are required to study an additional text to be chosen from those indicated, for each module, in the "Recommended Texts" section of this program. ERASMUS students can do the examination in English. In the case of an extension of the health emergency caused by COVID-19, all the instructions that regulate the modalities of educational activities and student evaluation will be implemented. In particular, the following modalities will be applied: oral distance exams through the Microsoft Teams platform