History of Ancient Philosophy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to offer a brief knowledge of the history of ancient philosophy. The course also provide the ability to analyze and interpret the most up-to-date texts of the main reference authors and introduce the awareness of the perspective and historical distance, as well as of the problems related to it (with particular reference to the use of historiographical knowledge for the purposes of contemporary philosophical research). Finally, the course aims to provide the minor and conceptual tools suitable for historical-philosophical communication, with particular reference to ancient thought, both scientific and popular.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
- In-depth knowledge of the history of ancient philosophy through comparison between classic texts written by fundamental authors
- understanding of the theoretical and historical significance of the texts
- understanding of some central nodes of ancient thought
- full awareness of the transformation over time of concepts and argumentative forms in relation to language and reality.
Skills:
- Ability to critically apply the knowledge learned in reading and commenting on complex and ancient philosophical, framing them historically.
- Ability to apply the acquired knowledge on ancient thought, specifically on the relationship between language and reality.
- In-depth knowledge of the history of ancient philosophy through comparison between classic texts written by fundamental authors
- understanding of the theoretical and historical significance of the texts
- understanding of some central nodes of ancient thought
- full awareness of the transformation over time of concepts and argumentative forms in relation to language and reality.
Skills:
- Ability to critically apply the knowledge learned in reading and commenting on complex and ancient philosophical, framing them historically.
- Ability to apply the acquired knowledge on ancient thought, specifically on the relationship between language and reality.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
[A-K]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
M-FIL/07 - HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Forcignano' Filippo
[Blended learning]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of ancient philosophy and to the reading of a set of core texts, dating to different epochs and written in different styles. The course will pursue three important themes: i) the philosophy of nature from the Presocratics to Aristotle; ii) the moral philosophy of Plato and Aristotle; iii) Plato's psychology, particularly the Republic. The course is based on the reading and the interpretation of the core texts rather than on a textbook-based explanation of the history of the discipline. In this way, students will be able to confront critically themes such as the origin of ancient philosophy, the birth of the figure of the expert and her communication strategies, the study of nature and human behaviours, the relationship between ethics and politics, Plato's tripartite conception of the human soul, which is connected to the above themes and foreshadows later reflections on the relationship between rationality and irrationality.
Students are expected to integrate the in-class lecturing with the autonomous study of the textbook and the complementary set of audio-lessons available on Moodle.
Students are expected to integrate the in-class lecturing with the autonomous study of the textbook and the complementary set of audio-lessons available on Moodle.
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
This course is offered in blended learning. This means that part of the course will be delivered remotely by means of synchronous and asynchronous activities. There will be also an in-person component is which reduced to a minimum to facilitate students who are trying to negotiate work and study (the so-called "studenti lavoratori").
Teaching Resources
The course is exclusively delivered by 9 CFU. The syllabus includes:
1. F. Trabattoni, La filosofia antica. Profilo critico-storico, Carocci [to be studied in full and autonomously]*;
2. Audio-lessons on the History of ancient philosophy, by A. Falcon, F. Forcignanò, S. Pavan, e C. Zatta, available on Moodle [to be studied in full and autonomously];
3. A collection of Presocratic texts, edited by A. Falcon e F. Forcignanò, available on Moodle [to be fully read and commented in class]**
4. Platone, Apologia di Socrate-Critone, ed. by M.M. Sassi, BUR [a selection will be read in class while students should read the entire text autonomously]**;
5. Platone, La Repubblica, ed. by M. Vegetti, BUR [book I will be read in full and books IV and V partially in class]**;
6. Aristotele, Etica Nicomachea, ed. by C. Natali, Laterza [book I will be read in full and books II and X partially in class]**;
7. Andrea Falcon, La natura secondo Aristotele. Guida alla lettura Fisica II.
*this text CANNOT be substituted with other textbooks because the final test is based on it.
** In class and on the exam these editions will be used. Resorting to other translations, which is obviously matter of a personal choice, can imply some difficulties during the exam, especially with respect to the interpretations of the texts.
1. F. Trabattoni, La filosofia antica. Profilo critico-storico, Carocci [to be studied in full and autonomously]*;
2. Audio-lessons on the History of ancient philosophy, by A. Falcon, F. Forcignanò, S. Pavan, e C. Zatta, available on Moodle [to be studied in full and autonomously];
3. A collection of Presocratic texts, edited by A. Falcon e F. Forcignanò, available on Moodle [to be fully read and commented in class]**
4. Platone, Apologia di Socrate-Critone, ed. by M.M. Sassi, BUR [a selection will be read in class while students should read the entire text autonomously]**;
5. Platone, La Repubblica, ed. by M. Vegetti, BUR [book I will be read in full and books IV and V partially in class]**;
6. Aristotele, Etica Nicomachea, ed. by C. Natali, Laterza [book I will be read in full and books II and X partially in class]**;
7. Andrea Falcon, La natura secondo Aristotele. Guida alla lettura Fisica II.
*this text CANNOT be substituted with other textbooks because the final test is based on it.
** In class and on the exam these editions will be used. Resorting to other translations, which is obviously matter of a personal choice, can imply some difficulties during the exam, especially with respect to the interpretations of the texts.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be taken on Moodle in the computer lab. It will consist of three parts and the allotted time will be 90 minutes.
1.The first part consists of 20 multiple choice questions, aimed to assess the acquisition of the fundamentals of the history of the discipline and the historiographical problems connected with it. Every correct answer will get a score of 0.5 point for a maximum of 10 points. 7 points is the minimum required to pass this test (14/20). Failure to achieve this minimum determines the end of the exam with the outcome "failed".
2. The second part comprises 5 concepts or terms to be defined appropriately, with a maximum of 80 words. This part is aimed to assess the comprehension of the fundamental vocabulary and the awareness of the semantic changes the different concepts have undergone in the historical development of ancient thought. Every answer will receive a score between 0 and 2 points, according to the following scheme: 0 point= completely wrong or no answer; 1 point=partially correct and/or expressed only in a partially appropriate way answer; 2 points=fully correct and appropriately expressed answer.
3. The third part comprises two open questions on the themes and texts discussed in class. Students are requested to answer with a maximum of 200 words. This parts aims to assess the capacity to discuss the most relevant themes of the course and to comment on the texts dealt with in class. Every answer will receive a score between 0 and 6 points, according to the following scheme: 0 score= completely wrong or no answer; 1 point=insufficient and/or largely inadequate answer; 2 points= barely sufficient and superficially argued answer; 3 points=sufficient and barely adequately argued answer; 4 points=good and correctly argued answer; 5 points= very good answer, showing rigor both with respect to the lexicon and the argument; 6 points= excellent answer, showing full awareness of the theme and subject under discussion and an excellent critical capacity in the field of the history of ancient philosophy.
Note that two outstanding answers in the third part allow the student to compensate for four inadequate or wrong answers in the first part. The final grade, expressed on a 30/30 basis, consists in the sum of the scores from the three parts; if the score exceeds 30, the student will be given full mark with distinction (i.e., "30 e lode").
1.The first part consists of 20 multiple choice questions, aimed to assess the acquisition of the fundamentals of the history of the discipline and the historiographical problems connected with it. Every correct answer will get a score of 0.5 point for a maximum of 10 points. 7 points is the minimum required to pass this test (14/20). Failure to achieve this minimum determines the end of the exam with the outcome "failed".
2. The second part comprises 5 concepts or terms to be defined appropriately, with a maximum of 80 words. This part is aimed to assess the comprehension of the fundamental vocabulary and the awareness of the semantic changes the different concepts have undergone in the historical development of ancient thought. Every answer will receive a score between 0 and 2 points, according to the following scheme: 0 point= completely wrong or no answer; 1 point=partially correct and/or expressed only in a partially appropriate way answer; 2 points=fully correct and appropriately expressed answer.
3. The third part comprises two open questions on the themes and texts discussed in class. Students are requested to answer with a maximum of 200 words. This parts aims to assess the capacity to discuss the most relevant themes of the course and to comment on the texts dealt with in class. Every answer will receive a score between 0 and 6 points, according to the following scheme: 0 score= completely wrong or no answer; 1 point=insufficient and/or largely inadequate answer; 2 points= barely sufficient and superficially argued answer; 3 points=sufficient and barely adequately argued answer; 4 points=good and correctly argued answer; 5 points= very good answer, showing rigor both with respect to the lexicon and the argument; 6 points= excellent answer, showing full awareness of the theme and subject under discussion and an excellent critical capacity in the field of the history of ancient philosophy.
Note that two outstanding answers in the third part allow the student to compensate for four inadequate or wrong answers in the first part. The final grade, expressed on a 30/30 basis, consists in the sum of the scores from the three parts; if the score exceeds 30, the student will be given full mark with distinction (i.e., "30 e lode").
M-FIL/07 - HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Falcon Andrea
[L-Z]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
M-FIL/07 - HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Zatta Claudia
Professor(s)
Reception:
Fridays 17:00-20:00. Please be in touch by email (no later than 13:00, on Friday) to arrange for a meeting on MS Teams.
Microsoft Teams