20710531 - History of modern philosophy

The course of History of Modern Philosophy is part of the complementary training activities of the program in Philosophical sciences (MA level). Through the reading of the classics of modern philosophy, the course aims to provide students with a knowledge not only of the thought of the authors treated, but also, more generally, of the epistemological and methodological foundations of historical-philosophical research. In particular, through the comparison between the works of the same author or different authors, the course aims to make accessible to the student the evolution of this or that thinker, or the dense network of convergences and divergences, of debts or distance taken of which is interwoven between several authors. By indicating from time to time the difficulties presented by the texts and the most representative interpretative solutions that have been given, it aims to stimulate the critical reflection and autonomy of judgment of the student. Finally, the recommended texts are aimed at fostering the ability to deal with scientific literature and the development of the skills necessary for the autonomy of research. At the end of the course, the students will have acquired knowledge of a central episode in the history of modern philosophy and the debates it has given rise to. They will also be able to apply the knowledge acquired in a philosophical discussion and in the theoretical and historical-philosophical argumentation. They will also have strengthened their ability to critically analyze and contextualize sources, as well as their property of language and argumentative ability in relation to the topics covered in the course
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Programme

During the course, we will read parts of Hobbes' "De Cive" and "Leviathan," and parts of Spinoza's "Theological-Political Treatise" and "Ethics." The reading will focus on the respective theories of passions and virtues, in particular on the "vital" root of the passions, the relationship of continuity or discontinuity between the passions most clearly related to self-preservation and those related to the pursuit of recognition, the ability of these passions to act as a vector not only of disorder and conflict, but also of self-control and cooperation, and the conflict and possible synergy of the imaginative and rational dimensions. Through this reading, an attempt will be made to test the opposition between the two thinkers widely disseminated in the specialist literature and no less widely received in historiography, as welle as the evolution of both systems, and the influence of one on the other.

Core Documentation

Selected passages from the following works will be commented on:
1) Thomas Hobbes, De cive (Editori Riuniti)
2) Baruch Spinoza, Trattato teologico-politico (Bompiani, Einaudi o Bibliopolis)
3) Thomas Hobbes, Leviatano, (Laterza o Bompiani)
4) Baruch Spinoza, Etica (Editori Riuniti o Bompiani).

Reference Bibliography

Francesco Toto, “Amor sui” e costituzione immaginaria del Sé, in «Consecutio Temporum. Rivista critica della postmodernità», 6 (2014), pp. 192-7. Francesco Toto, ‘Superbia’, ‘Existimatio’ and ‘Despectus’: An Aspect of Spinoza’s Theory of Esteem, in «Intellectual History Review» 1 (2022), pp. 113-133 Francesco Toto, Esemplarità e imitazione. Gloria e vergogna nell’Etica di Baruch Spinoza, in «Rivista di Storia della filosofia», 2, 2016, pp. 221-242 Francesco Toto, L’amicizia tra gelosia e gratitudine. Riconoscimento e virtù nell’«Etica» di B. Spinoza, in «Consecutio Temporum. Rivista critica della postmodernità» 4 (2013), pp. 270-288. Francesco Toto, I sentimenti morali in Descartes e Spinoza. Il caso di pietà e invidia, favore e indignazione, in «Rivista di Filosofia Neo-Scolastica», 112.2 (2020), pp. 525-548. Francesco Toto, La théorie de l’estime de Descartes et Spinoza. ‘Passions de l’ame’ et ‘Éthique’, in Raffaele Carbone, Antonella Del Prete (éds.), Chemins du cartésianisme, Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2017, pp. 127-161. Francesco Toto, L'ammirazione e lo spregio. Aspetti della teoria spinoziana del riconoscimento, in «Etica&Politica», 16.1 (2014), pp. 162-187. Francesco Toto, Spinoza: modello e ragione, in «Isonomia» (2019), pp. 1-20. Francesco Toto, Religione e riconoscimento nel ‘Trattato teologico-politico’ di Spinoza, in Mariannina Failla, Francesco Toto (a cura di), Per una politica del concreto. Studi in onore di Roberto Finelli, Roma, Roma Tre UP, 2016, pp. 33-57. Francesco Toto, Hobbes e il riconoscimento: antropologia, morale e politica, in «Consecutio Rerum», 1 (2016), pp. 12-46. Francesco Toto, Hobbes e l’amicizia: antropologia, morale e politica, in «Giornale Critico di Storia della Filosofia», 2 (2018), pp. 290-310. Francesco Toto, Concezione razionale e concezioni immaginarie della giustizia in Thomas Hobbes, in «Isonomia», (2015), pp. 1-34. Francesco Toto, Hobbes e l’indignazione, «La Cultura», 2 (2023). Francesco Toto, “Vim suam in alium transferre naturali modo nemo potest”. Potere e diritto, democrazia e anarchia nel De cive di Thomas Hobbes, in «Scienza e Politica» 60 (2019), pp. 257-284. Francesco Toto, Fazioni e sedizioni. Aspetti della teoria hobbesiana dei sistemi, in «Studi Filosofici», 41 (2018), pp. 49-70. Francesco Toto, Hobbes e l’eresia: teologia e politica, in «Rivista di Storia della Filosofia», 4 (2018), pp. 595-628 Francesco Toto, An association without power? Gift, recognition and democracy in Hobbesian conception of Early Christian communities, in Antonella Del Prete, Anna Lisa Schino, Pina Totaro (eds.), The Philosophers and the Bible. The Debate on Sacred Scripture in Early Modern Thought, Leiden, Brill, 2022, pp. 177-195.

Type of delivery of the course

The course will include face-to-face, in-class lectures. Streaming will be provided, via teams

Type of evaluation

The exam will be oral. The student will be asked to prepare a 15-minute speech about an aspect of the program of his/her choice. From here, the teacher will continue to verify a more general knowledge of the texts in the program and the achievement of the educational objectives.