Programme

Affectivity: passions and emotions between philosophy and science

The course will examine the topic of affectivity through the analysis of some philosophical classics on passions and some more recent scientific theories on emotions. The aim of the course is to investigate the problematic issues concerning human affectivity from an interdisciplinary approach, intertwining philosophy, psychology, and cognitive sciences.

Module A (6 CFU)
The program of Module A will focus on the following topics:
- Introduction to the historical-theoretical understandings of the notions of passion and emotion
- Cartesian theory of the passions
- Humean treatment of the passions
- Analysis of the theme of affectivity in philosophical thought

Module B (6 CFU)
The program of Module B will focus on the following topics:
- Charles Darwin’s evolutionism and his theory of the expression of emotions
- The theories of emotions of William James, John Dewey, and George H. Mead and their revival in the contemporary debate within the cognitive sciences.
- Paul Dumouchel’s theory of the social nature of emotions
- Analysis of the question of affectivity between philosophy, experimental psychology, and clinical psychology.

Core Documentation

Module A

R. Cartesio, Le passioni dell’anima, Bompiani 2003
D. Hume, Trattato sulla natura umana, Laterza 2008, pp. 289-476
G. Baggio, G. Quinzi (a cura di), Pensare l’affettività, Rosenberg & Sellier 2021 [Introduzione, capitoli 1-3]

Recommended texts

G. Mori, Cartesio, Carocci 2010
A. Santucci, Introduzione a Hume, Laterza 2005


Module B

G. Baggio, F. Caruana, A. Parravicini, M. Viola (a cura di), Emozioni. Da Darwin al pragmatismo, Rosenberg & Sellier 2020.
G. Baggio, G. Quinzi (a cura di), Pensare l’affettività, Rosenberg & Sellier 2021 [capitoli 4-10]
P. Dumouchel, Emozioni. Saggio sul corpo e il sociale, Medusa 2008.
Pia Campeggiani, Introduzione alla filosofia delle emozioni, Clueb 2021.

Recommended texts

F. Caruana, M. Viola, Come funzionano le emozioni, il Mulino 2018.

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 (http://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. 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".

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. 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