Programme

The course will focus on Aristotle’s account of substance and predication in Categories, 1-5.
Aristotle's text will be explained in detail and the following aspects will be considered:
1: The relations “dici de subiecto” / “esse in subiecto” and Aristotle's list of the categories
2: Aristotle’s account of substance
3: Aristotle’s logical essentialism in the Categories

Core Documentation

[a] Aristotle, Categories, Translated with a Commentary by J. Ackrill, Clarendon Press, Oxford 2002, ch. 1-5, pp. 3-12 (text); 69-91 (Commentary).

[b] M. Vegetti – F. Ademollo, Incontro con Aristotele, Einaudi, Torino, 2016.
P. Studtmann, Aristotle’s Categories, “The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy”, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-categories/
G. Matthews, Aristotelian Categories, in G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.), A Companion to Aristotle, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, 2013, pp. 144-161.
F. Ademollo, The Anatomy of Primary Substance in Aristotle’s Categories, “Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy”, 2022
Ch. Rapp,, Aristotle on Things and Super-Things
https://www.academia.edu/38892953/Aristotle_on_Things_and_Super_Things
I. Angelelli, Studies on Gottlob Frege and Traditional Philosophy, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 1967, pp. 9-36 (cap. 1 “Ontology”)

[c] Students are required to prepare a paper in Italian or English (3.000 words) about one of the following topics:

[i] Logical essentialism in Aristotle’s Categories
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
Ch. Rapp, Essentialism in Aristotle's Categories: Some Queries and Suggestions:
https://www.academia.edu/40326251/Essentialism_in_Aristotles_Categories_Some_Queries_and_Suggestions

[ii] Inherence and predication
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
G.E.L. Owen, Inherence, “Phronesis”, 10, 1965, 97-105.
R. Heinaman, Non-substantial Individuals in the Categories, “Phronesis”, 26, 1981, 295-307.

[iii] Universals and secondary substances
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
C. Perin, Substantial Universals in Aristotle’s Categories, “Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy” 33, 2007, pp. 125-144.
M. Loux, Aristotle on Universals, in in G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.), A Companion to Aristotle, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, 2013, pp. 186-196

Type of delivery of the course

The couse includes: Lectures Seminars, discussions and debates with students Oral presentations by students Class attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended

Type of evaluation

prepare a written paper (3000 words) in Italian or in English. The paper will be the subject of a detailed discussion during the oral examination. Assessment: Paper 50% (criteria to be considered: knowledge and understanding of the texts and of the issues addressed; argumentation and synthesis; language and editing) Colloquium 50%

Programme

The course will focus on Aristotle’s account of substance and predication in Categories, 1-5.
Aristotle's text will be explained in detail and the following aspects will be considered:
1: The relations “dici de subiecto” / “esse in subiecto” and Aristotle's list of the categories
2: Aristotle’s account of substance
3: Aristotle’s logical essentialism in the Categories

Core Documentation

[a] Aristotle, Categories, Translated with a Commentary by J. Ackrill, Clarendon Press, Oxford 2002, ch. 1-5, pp. 3-12 (text); 69-91 (Commentary).

[b] M. Vegetti – F. Ademollo, Incontro con Aristotele, Einaudi, Torino, 2016.
P. Studtmann, Aristotle’s Categories, “The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy”, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-categories/
G. Matthews, Aristotelian Categories, in G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.), A Companion to Aristotle, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, 2013, pp. 144-161.
F. Ademollo, The Anatomy of Primary Substance in Aristotle’s Categories, “Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy”, 2022
Ch. Rapp,, Aristotle on Things and Super-Things
https://www.academia.edu/38892953/Aristotle_on_Things_and_Super_Things
I. Angelelli, Studies on Gottlob Frege and Traditional Philosophy, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 1967, pp. 9-36 (cap. 1 “Ontology”)

[c] Students are required to prepare a paper in Italian or English (3.000 words) about one of the following topics:

[i] Logical essentialism in Aristotle’s Categories
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
Ch. Rapp, Essentialism in Aristotle's Categories: Some Queries and Suggestions:
https://www.academia.edu/40326251/Essentialism_in_Aristotles_Categories_Some_Queries_and_Suggestions

[ii] Inherence and predication
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
G.E.L. Owen, Inherence, “Phronesis”, 10, 1965, 97-105.
R. Heinaman, Non-substantial Individuals in the Categories, “Phronesis”, 26, 1981, 295-307.

[iii] Universals and secondary substances
Bibliography: texts of sections [a] e [b] should be supplemented with:
C. Perin, Substantial Universals in Aristotle’s Categories, “Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy” 33, 2007, pp. 125-144.
M. Loux, Aristotle on Universals, in in G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.), A Companion to Aristotle, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, 2013, pp. 186-196

Type of delivery of the course

The couse includes: Lectures Seminars, discussions and debates with students Oral presentations by students Class attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended

Type of evaluation

prepare a written paper (3000 words) in Italian or in English. The paper will be the subject of a detailed discussion during the oral examination. Assessment: Paper 50% (criteria to be considered: knowledge and understanding of the texts and of the issues addressed; argumentation and synthesis; language and editing) Colloquium 50%