Epistemology

A.Y. 2020/2021
9
Max ECTS
60
Overall hours
SSD
M-FIL/01
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course has the goal to discuss in depth problems in the general area of theoretical philosophy and philosophical anthropology. It focuses on questions concerning the nature of human experience and the constitution of subjectivity, stressing the connections with other disciplines (anthropology, psychology, sociology, biology, etc) and helping students to develop their analytical skills and recognize the connections between philosophical research and the current cultural context.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student:
· knows the theoretical fundamentals of contemporary philosophy and understands its vocabulary;
· understands the nature of philosophical problems;
· understands the nature and strength of philosophical arguments;
· knows the basic methodological elements of philosophical exercise.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student:
· is able to put forward and outline the main conceptual contributions of theoretical philosophy
· is able to identify philosophical topics and problems in philosophical and non-philosophical contexts;
· can approach general issues by adopting the appropriate methodological perspectives and discuss the arguments of various authors making use of an adequate lexicon.
· can consistently support her /his claims with arguments
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

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Due to the health emergency, all lectures of Gnoseologia will take place online on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8.30am to 10.30am - these will be recorded and available to access from Ariel. Following the positive experience of this past semester, lectures will consist of 1 hour and a half with no break in between, i.e. from 8.30 to 10am, and will be followed by half an hour of discussion/questions emerging from the lectures, i.e. from 10 to 10.30am.
The course syllabus will not undergo any alteration nor be reduced. Any change will be communicated on Ariel beforehand as will any update on the availability of the texts in the syllabus.
Exams will take place on Teams. Students will receive the necessary instructions and be assigned to specific time slots. In addition to being available in the tables below, examination procedures will be explained during the course and summarized on Ariel.
The course is open to all students enrolled in the Three-year Degree in Philosophy, starting from the first year.
Course syllabus
The present course aims at tackling the individuation process. The guiding questions which will be at the heart of the course are the following: how is a human individual formed?; when and how does a subject/person happen and from where?; what are the preliminary conditions of its development? Research on this topic has recently taken new directions, which have profoundly influenced philosophical enquiry, starting from Freud's work. The course will thus include the perspective that Freud's work has brought about, and will add two further approaches. The main topics of the course are implicitly indicated by the succession of texts and authors.
Prerequisites for admission
No specific requirements are required, other than those required for access to the course of study.
Teaching methods
Lectures
Teaching Resources
Common part for 6 and 9 CFU program:
- M. Merleau-Ponty, Fenomenologia della percezione, Bompiani, Milano 2003 (solo le seguenti parti: Premessa [pp. 15-31]; L'altro e il mondo umano [pp. 450-472]; La libertà [pp. 555-582]).
- M. Merleau-Ponty, Il bambino e gli altri, Armando, Roma (1968) 2016.
- C. Di Martino, R. Redaelli, M. Russo (a cura di), Trasformazioni del concetto di umanità, Inschibboleth, Roma 2020 (solo i saggi di J. Fischer, G. Cusinato, C. Di Martino).
- A. Honneth, "L'Io nel Noi", in: La libertà negli altri, Il Mulino, Bologna 2017, pp. 161-181.
- W. Bion, Esperienze nei gruppi, Armando Editore, Roma 2013.

Additional part for the 9 CFU program:
M. Tomasello, Diventare umani, Raffaello Cortina, Milano 2019.
M. Tomasello, Storia naturale della morale umana, Raffaello Cortina, Milano 2016.
M. Tomasello, Unicamente umano. Storia naturale del pensiero, Il Mulino, Bologna 2014.

Readings and assignments for non-attending students.
In addition to the texts in the program, non-attending students will add the following text as a support to their preparation:

C. Di Martino, Figure della relazione, Edizioni di Pagina, Bari 2018.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is oral only. It consists of a viva voce on the topics spelled out in the programme and is intended to ascertain:
- knowledge of the programme contents;
- ability to understand and articulate the concepts used;
- communication skills and use of appropriate terminology when presenting the subject.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
M-FIL/01 - THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours

Unita' didattica B
M-FIL/01 - THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours

Unita' didattica C
M-FIL/01 - THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours

Professor(s)