The course ‘history of medieval metaphysics’ is one of the optional courses (affini e integrativi) of the master's degree program in Philosophical Sciences.
At the end of the course students are able to understand key issues of medieval metaphysics, both in themselves and in relation to Early Modern Philosophy. The course is based on close reading and analysis of sources, as well as on the discussion of the philosophical lexicon and of its evolution through time.
Students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills from a theoretical and historical-philosophical perspective.
At the end of the course students are able to:
- understand critically key issues in medieval and modern philosophy
- carry out independent analysis of medieval philosophical works; students will have knowledge of concepts and terminology of philosophical schools and authors; furthermore, they will be able to follow the evolution / transformation of that terminology in other contexts
- approach medieval thought with awareness of methods typical of the history of philosophy as well of the main scholarly interpretations
At the end of the course students are able to understand key issues of medieval metaphysics, both in themselves and in relation to Early Modern Philosophy. The course is based on close reading and analysis of sources, as well as on the discussion of the philosophical lexicon and of its evolution through time.
Students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills from a theoretical and historical-philosophical perspective.
At the end of the course students are able to:
- understand critically key issues in medieval and modern philosophy
- carry out independent analysis of medieval philosophical works; students will have knowledge of concepts and terminology of philosophical schools and authors; furthermore, they will be able to follow the evolution / transformation of that terminology in other contexts
- approach medieval thought with awareness of methods typical of the history of philosophy as well of the main scholarly interpretations
teacher profile teaching materials
• J. J. E. Gracia (ed.), Individuation in Scholasticism: The Later Middle Ages and the Counter-Reformation, 1150-1650. New York: SUNY Press, 1994.
• Th. Noone, Universals and Individuation, In Th. Williams (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Duns Scotus, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
• Giovanni Duns Scoto, Il principio di individuazione, a cura di A. D’Angelo, Il Mulino: Bologna 2011.
• J. J. E. Gracia (ed.), Introduction, in Suarez on Individuation: Metaphysical Disputation V: Individual Unity and its Principle, Marquette University Press, 1982.
• S. Di Bella, Tota sua entitate. Suarez and Leibniz on Individuation, in M. Sgarbi (ed.), Francisco Suarez and His Legacy. The Impact of Suarezian Metaphysics and Epistemology on Modern Philosophy, Milano: Vita e Pensiero, 2010.
• S. Di Bella, Il fantasma dell'ecceità. Leibniz, Scoto e il principio d'individuazione, Quaestio, 8 (2008).
Students who are unable to attend, must carefully study at least one of the following critical works:
• J. J. E. Gracia, Introduction to the Problem of Individuation in the Early Middle Ages, Muenchen-Wien: Philosophia Verlag, 1984.
• O Boulnois, Lire le Principe d’individuation de Duns Scot, Paris: Vrin, 2014.
• P.-N. Mayaud, (coor.), Le Probleme de l'individuation, Paris: Vrin, 1992.
• Pietro Abelardo, I commenti all'Isagoge di Porfirio, a cura di S. Follini, Milano: Mimesis 2022, pp. 9-175, 217-273, 729-743.
Programme
The classes will focus on the notions of ‘individuation’ and 'principle of individuation’ in medieval and late medieval thought, taking this issue in its main historical and theoretical coordinates. In particular, it dwells on the relationship between the problem of the individuation and those of the metaphysical status of universals, of the nature of primary substance, as well as of the form-matter composition. Special attention will be paid to the solutions of Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Ockham, Pedro da Fonseca, and Francisco Suárez, in order to ideally conclude with some references to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. The specific doctrines of these authors will be considered both dealing with their metaphysical, logical and theological premises and by accurate textual analysis.Core Documentation
• A selection of excerpts from Porphyry, Bonventura, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, Pedro da Fonseca and Francisco Suárez• J. J. E. Gracia (ed.), Individuation in Scholasticism: The Later Middle Ages and the Counter-Reformation, 1150-1650. New York: SUNY Press, 1994.
• Th. Noone, Universals and Individuation, In Th. Williams (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Duns Scotus, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
• Giovanni Duns Scoto, Il principio di individuazione, a cura di A. D’Angelo, Il Mulino: Bologna 2011.
• J. J. E. Gracia (ed.), Introduction, in Suarez on Individuation: Metaphysical Disputation V: Individual Unity and its Principle, Marquette University Press, 1982.
• S. Di Bella, Tota sua entitate. Suarez and Leibniz on Individuation, in M. Sgarbi (ed.), Francisco Suarez and His Legacy. The Impact of Suarezian Metaphysics and Epistemology on Modern Philosophy, Milano: Vita e Pensiero, 2010.
• S. Di Bella, Il fantasma dell'ecceità. Leibniz, Scoto e il principio d'individuazione, Quaestio, 8 (2008).
Students who are unable to attend, must carefully study at least one of the following critical works:
• J. J. E. Gracia, Introduction to the Problem of Individuation in the Early Middle Ages, Muenchen-Wien: Philosophia Verlag, 1984.
• O Boulnois, Lire le Principe d’individuation de Duns Scot, Paris: Vrin, 2014.
• P.-N. Mayaud, (coor.), Le Probleme de l'individuation, Paris: Vrin, 1992.
• Pietro Abelardo, I commenti all'Isagoge di Porfirio, a cura di S. Follini, Milano: Mimesis 2022, pp. 9-175, 217-273, 729-743.
Reference Bibliography
Pietro Abelardo, I commenti all'Isagoge di Porfirio, a cura di S. Follini, Milano: Mimesis 2022, pp. 9-175, 217-273, 729-743, Jan A. Aertsen and Andreas Speer (eds.), Individuum und Individualität im Mittelalter, De Gruyter, 1996 • J. E. Brower, Matter, form, and individuation, in B. Davies, E. Stump (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Aquinas. Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. 85-103 • J. E. Brower, Aquinas's Ontology of the Material World Change. Hylomorphism, and Material Objects, Oxford University Press, 2014 • J. E. Brower, Aquinas on the Individuation of Substances, Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy, 5 (2017, 1), pp. 122-150 • J.-F. Courtine, La problématique de l'individuation: de Suarez à Leibniz, in Id., Suárez et le système de la métaphysique, PUF, 1990, pp. 496-519 • R. Cross, Identity, Origin, and Persistence in Duns Scotus's Physics, History of Philosophy Quarterly 16 (1999, 1), pp. 1-18 • R. Cross, Duns Scotus on Essence and Existence, Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy 1 (2013, 1) • R. Cross, Medieval Theories of Haecceity, in E. N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2022 Edition (online) • D. Heider, Suárez über das Individuationsprinzip der Akzidenten in dem Licht des thomistischen Lösung, Acta Commeniana et Historica, 19 (2005), pp. 71-90 • J. J. E. Gracia, What the Individual Adds to the Common Nature according to Suárez, The New Scholasticism, 53 (1979), pp. 221-233 • J. J. E. Gracia, Suárez's Criticism of the Thomistic Principle of Individuation, in Atti del Congresso internazionale: Tommaso d'Aquino nel suo settimo Centenario, VI, Ed. Domenicane Italiane, 1975-1978, pp. 563-568 • L. B. McCullough, Leibniz on Individuals and Individuation. The Persistence of Premodern Ideas in Modern Philosophy, Springer, 1996 • M. Mugnai, Leibniz on Individuation: From the Early Years to the "Discourse" and Beyond, Studia Leibnitiana 33 (2001, 1), pp. 36-54 • G. Pini, The Individuation of Angels from Bonaventure to Duns Scotus, in T. Hoffmann (ed.), A Companionto Angels in Medieval Philosophy, Brill, 2012, pp. 79-115.Type of delivery of the course
The couse includes: Lectures; Discussions and debates with students; Class attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommendedType of evaluation
oral exam