The Philosophy of Literature course is part of the optional educational activities of the Philosophy degree programme. The course aims to explore the transdisciplinary intersection between philosophy and literature from a theoretical perspective, highlighting concepts and themes that testify how philosophical thought relates to literature in different ways, not so much as an object of analysis, rather in terms of their interaction and proximity. The course will present the theoretical outline of the subject of the course, and will offer an introduction to the main issues that intersect philosophy and literature through a critical analysis of the texts indicated in the syllabus and an exposition of some of today's repercussions on the relationship between philosophy and literature. The teaching aims to
- offer the basic tools for understanding the vocabulary and the main theoretical problems involved in the intersection between philosophical reflection and literature;
- increase students' critical and argumentative skills and train them in the comparative analysis of the topics and authors taken into consideration.
By the end of the course, students will have acquired the following skills
- in-depth understanding of the basic philosophical vocabulary, also in relation to its historical evolution and its connection with literary texts;
- ability to understand, analyse and discuss the basic problems of metaphysics, logic and theory of knowledge, in relation to Western philosophical and literary authors and movements;
- ability to interpret and argue the theses proposed by philosophical and literary texts;
- training in critical thinking skills through comparison with other forms of Western cultural knowledge.
- offer the basic tools for understanding the vocabulary and the main theoretical problems involved in the intersection between philosophical reflection and literature;
- increase students' critical and argumentative skills and train them in the comparative analysis of the topics and authors taken into consideration.
By the end of the course, students will have acquired the following skills
- in-depth understanding of the basic philosophical vocabulary, also in relation to its historical evolution and its connection with literary texts;
- ability to understand, analyse and discuss the basic problems of metaphysics, logic and theory of knowledge, in relation to Western philosophical and literary authors and movements;
- ability to interpret and argue the theses proposed by philosophical and literary texts;
- training in critical thinking skills through comparison with other forms of Western cultural knowledge.
teacher profile teaching materials
The Philosophy of Literature course aims to explore the transdisciplinary intersection between philosophy and literature from a theoretical perspective, highlighting concepts and themes that testify how philosophical thought relates to literature in different ways, not so much as an object of analysis, rather in terms of their interaction and proximity.
The course will examine the link between philosophical enquiry and its pathological declination in the fiction and non-fiction of the American writer David Foster Wallace, highlighting some conceptual knots - solipsism, addiction, boredom, self-deception - that reveal the fascinating yet problematic interweaving between philosophizing and writing.
The programme will focus on the following topics:
- Introduction to the relationship between philosophy and literature.
- Introduction to the life and work of D.F. Wallace
- Critical analysis of the concepts of solipsism, alienation, boredom in their problematic intertwining of philosophy, literature and pathology
- Exposition of the relationship between addiction, self-deception, and logical paradoxes
D.F. Wallace, The Empty Plenum: David Markson's Wittgenstein's Mistress, in Both Flesh and Not, Little, Brown and Co 2012.
D.F. Wallace, Good Old Neon, in Oblivion, Little Brown & Co 2004.
D.F. Wallace, The Planet Trillaphon as It Stands in Relation to the Bad Thing, in The Amherst Review, vol. XII (1984).
D.F. Wallace, The depressed person, in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Back Bay Books 2000.
D.F. Wallace, Suicide as a sort of present, in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Back Bay Books 2000.
G. Baggio, Filosofia e patologia in D.F. Wallace. Solipsismo, noia, alienazione… e altre cose (poco) divertenti, Rosenberg & Sellier 2022.
D. Laing, The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness, Penguin 2005 (first part).
C. Scarlato, Attraverso il corpo. Filosofia e letteratura in David Foster Wallace, Mimesis 2020 (primo capitolo)
M. Piazza, La scrittura dei filosofi e la filosofia degli scrittori, in «Bollettino Filosofico», n. 210, 2013.
Mutuazione: 20711397 FILOSOFIA DELLA LETTERATURA in Filosofia L-5 R BAGGIO GUIDO
Programme
Philosophy, Literature, and Pathology in David Foster WallaceThe Philosophy of Literature course aims to explore the transdisciplinary intersection between philosophy and literature from a theoretical perspective, highlighting concepts and themes that testify how philosophical thought relates to literature in different ways, not so much as an object of analysis, rather in terms of their interaction and proximity.
The course will examine the link between philosophical enquiry and its pathological declination in the fiction and non-fiction of the American writer David Foster Wallace, highlighting some conceptual knots - solipsism, addiction, boredom, self-deception - that reveal the fascinating yet problematic interweaving between philosophizing and writing.
The programme will focus on the following topics:
- Introduction to the relationship between philosophy and literature.
- Introduction to the life and work of D.F. Wallace
- Critical analysis of the concepts of solipsism, alienation, boredom in their problematic intertwining of philosophy, literature and pathology
- Exposition of the relationship between addiction, self-deception, and logical paradoxes
Core Documentation
For Erasmus students:D.F. Wallace, The Empty Plenum: David Markson's Wittgenstein's Mistress, in Both Flesh and Not, Little, Brown and Co 2012.
D.F. Wallace, Good Old Neon, in Oblivion, Little Brown & Co 2004.
D.F. Wallace, The Planet Trillaphon as It Stands in Relation to the Bad Thing, in The Amherst Review, vol. XII (1984).
D.F. Wallace, The depressed person, in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Back Bay Books 2000.
D.F. Wallace, Suicide as a sort of present, in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Back Bay Books 2000.
G. Baggio, Filosofia e patologia in D.F. Wallace. Solipsismo, noia, alienazione… e altre cose (poco) divertenti, Rosenberg & Sellier 2022.
D. Laing, The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness, Penguin 2005 (first part).
C. Scarlato, Attraverso il corpo. Filosofia e letteratura in David Foster Wallace, Mimesis 2020 (primo capitolo)
M. Piazza, La scrittura dei filosofi e la filosofia degli scrittori, in «Bollettino Filosofico», n. 210, 2013.
Attendance
Attendance is not mandatory but particularly recommended. Non-attending students must contact the professor to arrange supplementary written work of 5 pages on one of the course texts. Additional study of a text to be chosen from those indicated in the "Reference Bibliography" section of this programme is also required.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 either English or French