The History of the Philosophy of the Enlightenment course is part of the characterising educational activities of the Master's Degree Course in Philosophical Sciences.
At the end of the course the student will have acquired in-depth knowledge of at least one classic of the Enlightenment thought, in relation to the theoretical and historical-philosophical questions posed by it, to the relative historical-cultural contextualisation, as well as to the international critical debate on the subject.
The student will also have acquired:
- the ability to read and analyse sources also in the light of the critical debate;
- advanced critical thinking skills and historical-philosophical contextualisation;
- argumentative writing skills, preparation and editing of texts;
- written and oral presentation and argumentation skills.
At the end of the course the student will have acquired in-depth knowledge of at least one classic of the Enlightenment thought, in relation to the theoretical and historical-philosophical questions posed by it, to the relative historical-cultural contextualisation, as well as to the international critical debate on the subject.
The student will also have acquired:
- the ability to read and analyse sources also in the light of the critical debate;
- advanced critical thinking skills and historical-philosophical contextualisation;
- argumentative writing skills, preparation and editing of texts;
- written and oral presentation and argumentation skills.
teacher profile teaching materials
The programme comes into effect from the 2026–2027 academic year and applies equally to both full-time and part-time students.
Prerequisites: a basic understanding of the key features of Enlightenment philosophy (chronological framework, main themes).
2. Voltaire, Gli ebrei mangiavano carne umana? Con testo francese a fronte, a cura di Antonio Gurrado, Genova, Il Melangolo, 2015.
3. Marco Piazza, Voltaire e gli ebrei. Sui limiti della tolleranza, Roma, Carocci, 2024.
A text of your choice from the following:
4.1. Herbert Marcuse, Critica della tolleranza, Milan, Mimesis, 2015.
4.2. Michael Walzer, Sulla tolleranza, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2000 o ristampa 2003.
4.3. Paul Ricoeur, Tolleranza, intolleranza, intollerabile, a cura di Ilario Bertoletti, Brescia, Morcelliana, 2024.
Program for Erasmus Students:
1. Volatire, Treatise on Tolerance, possibly Oxford critical edition.
2. Marco Piazza, Voltaire against the Jews, or the Limits of Toleration, London, PalgraveMcMillan, 2023.
3. Denis Lacorne, The Limits of Tolerance, engl transl., New York, Columbia University Press, 2019 (a selection of 2 chapters at your choice)
A text to be chosen from:
4.1. Herbert Marcuse, Repressive Tolerance, any edition.
4.2. Michael Walzer, On Toleration, any edition.
Programme
The course guides the analysis of the theory of tolerance of the best known defender of this concept in the French context: Voltaire. Reflection on his theory will be conducted both through a direct investigation of Voltaire's texts and through its problematisation by comparing it with the position Voltaire himself took with respect to the Jews. The latter represent an interesting case study to show the limits of such theorising in relation to Voltaire's question of whether a Jew can also be a philosophe. Reference will be made to a rich international bibliography and in the concluding part of the course some lines of development of the question of tolerance in contemporary times will be sketched in order to offer insights into the permanent vitality of this concept.The programme comes into effect from the 2026–2027 academic year and applies equally to both full-time and part-time students.
Prerequisites: a basic understanding of the key features of Enlightenment philosophy (chronological framework, main themes).
Prerequisiti
Minimum basic knowledge of the specific characters of the philosophy of the EnlightenmentCore Documentation
1. Voltaire, Il caso Calas. Con il Trattato sulla tolleranza e testi inediti. Edizione critica a cura di Domenico Felice, Bologna, Marietti 1820, 2021.2. Voltaire, Gli ebrei mangiavano carne umana? Con testo francese a fronte, a cura di Antonio Gurrado, Genova, Il Melangolo, 2015.
3. Marco Piazza, Voltaire e gli ebrei. Sui limiti della tolleranza, Roma, Carocci, 2024.
A text of your choice from the following:
4.1. Herbert Marcuse, Critica della tolleranza, Milan, Mimesis, 2015.
4.2. Michael Walzer, Sulla tolleranza, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2000 o ristampa 2003.
4.3. Paul Ricoeur, Tolleranza, intolleranza, intollerabile, a cura di Ilario Bertoletti, Brescia, Morcelliana, 2024.
Program for Erasmus Students:
1. Volatire, Treatise on Tolerance, possibly Oxford critical edition.
2. Marco Piazza, Voltaire against the Jews, or the Limits of Toleration, London, PalgraveMcMillan, 2023.
3. Denis Lacorne, The Limits of Tolerance, engl transl., New York, Columbia University Press, 2019 (a selection of 2 chapters at your choice)
A text to be chosen from:
4.1. Herbert Marcuse, Repressive Tolerance, any edition.
4.2. Michael Walzer, On Toleration, any edition.
Reference Bibliography
King, Preston. Toleration. London: Routledge, 1997. McKinnon, Catriona. Toleration: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge, 2006. Oberdiek, Hans. Tolerance: Between Forbearance and Acceptance. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2001.Attendance
Attendance is not mandatory.Type of evaluation
The verification of learning takes place through an oral test. In the assessment of the oral examination, the final mark will be determined by taking into account a number of factors, such as: the level and quality of knowledge of the topics; the ability to analyse a topic critically and to establish thematic links, including interdisciplinary ones, with other topics; the logic of the arguments put forward in support of a thesis; the ability to apply theories and concepts to different contexts and case studies; the use of vocabulary appropriate to the subject being studied. A written paper of 3,000 words is required (in Italian, English, French or Portuguese) to be discussed during the exam. The paper may also be prepared by small groups of students (max. 4) but with precise indication of the contribution of each one. The paper must be sent to the lecturer at least 15 days before the exam date. For Erasmus students: the oral test may also be taken in English, French or Portuguese.The mark for the written assignment will account for 30 per cent of the final mark. Students with disabilities and specific learning difficulties may request the necessary support measures for the examination via the University’s dedicated portal, which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.uniroma3.it/roma-tre-inclusiva-studenti-con-disabilita-e-con-dsa/