Teaching Workshop: Advanced Philosophical Workshop 5
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The workshop aims to provide useful tools for cross-cultural comparing of ideas, especially philosophical ideas. The aim is twofold: on the one hand, to come into contact with certain texts and ideas with certain texts and ideas from a non-Western culture; on the other hand, to compare and integrate these ideas with the knowledge already acquired during the three-year course. The workshop makes it possible to acquire skills related to different professional profiles, including, first and foremost, that of cultural mediator.
Expected learning outcomes
This workshop helps students to build the following skills:
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
To critically analyze, discuss, and compare philosophical views.
To critically assess sources of information and the reliability of data.
Independent judgment:
To think through complex philosophical views.
To take a position on a certain philosophical issue and develop arguments in its favor.
To collect, correctly interpret, and appropriately use data to make independent, informed, and responsible judgments.
Communication skills:
To efficiently present the results of one's own research, and do so by using information technology when appropriate.
To dialogue in a constructive way with experts from other disciplines to identify and solve complex problems.
To disseminate knowledge and pass on acquired skills to non-specialized audiences.
Learning skills:
To study in an independent way.
To independently and appropriately use sources and basic bibliographic/information tools for philosophical research and scientific updating.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
To critically analyze, discuss, and compare philosophical views.
To critically assess sources of information and the reliability of data.
Independent judgment:
To think through complex philosophical views.
To take a position on a certain philosophical issue and develop arguments in its favor.
To collect, correctly interpret, and appropriately use data to make independent, informed, and responsible judgments.
Communication skills:
To efficiently present the results of one's own research, and do so by using information technology when appropriate.
To dialogue in a constructive way with experts from other disciplines to identify and solve complex problems.
To disseminate knowledge and pass on acquired skills to non-specialized audiences.
Learning skills:
To study in an independent way.
To independently and appropriately use sources and basic bibliographic/information tools for philosophical research and scientific updating.
Lesson period: First semester
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
Course syllabus
Perspectives for an intercultural philosophical dialogue
Is philosophy just a Western phenomenon? Husserl, Heidegger, Derrida and Rorty, for example, argued that it is. And many people, philosophers and non-philosophers alike, still think so. Outside the West, then, there would be art, poetry or religion, for example, but no philosophy. However authoritatively it is stated, this idea is utterly false. And to verify its falsity, there is no better example than an analysis of the thought traditions of classical India. After a general introduction to the issue at the first meeting, during the following four meetings, under the guidance of one or hopefully several students, some basic texts from the Indian tradition will be discussed together: Parts of the Bhagavadgita and the Kamasutra; passages from the discourses of the Buddha and the Buddhist text 'The Questions of King Milinda'; and technical philosophical texts on the nature of the mind and the self: in particular, texts from the Hindu Nyaya ('Method') school and texts by Buddhist thinkers from the Abhidharma ('Higher Teaching') school.
The workshop will take place on the following days:
- Friday 25 October 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 15 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 22 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 6 December 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 13 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula Malliani Festa del Perdono
Is philosophy just a Western phenomenon? Husserl, Heidegger, Derrida and Rorty, for example, argued that it is. And many people, philosophers and non-philosophers alike, still think so. Outside the West, then, there would be art, poetry or religion, for example, but no philosophy. However authoritatively it is stated, this idea is utterly false. And to verify its falsity, there is no better example than an analysis of the thought traditions of classical India. After a general introduction to the issue at the first meeting, during the following four meetings, under the guidance of one or hopefully several students, some basic texts from the Indian tradition will be discussed together: Parts of the Bhagavadgita and the Kamasutra; passages from the discourses of the Buddha and the Buddhist text 'The Questions of King Milinda'; and technical philosophical texts on the nature of the mind and the self: in particular, texts from the Hindu Nyaya ('Method') school and texts by Buddhist thinkers from the Abhidharma ('Higher Teaching') school.
The workshop will take place on the following days:
- Friday 25 October 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 15 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 22 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 6 December 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula 517 Festa del Perdono
- Friday 13 November 12.30-16.30 pm, Aula Malliani Festa del Perdono
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is required.
Teaching methods
Lectures, individual and/or group presentations; joint discussion.
Teaching Resources
(The final bibliography will be established during the meetings).
1) 'Bhagavad-gita' (UTET/BUR/Magnanelli or other reliable editions). [Chapter 2].
2) 'Kamasutra', edited by C. Pieruccini, Marsilio, 2020. [Introduction and selected parts of the text].
3) C. Pieruccini & M. Congedo, 'Viaggio nell'India del Nord', Einaudi, 2018. [Parts].
4) D. S. Lopez, 'Che cos'è il Buddhismo', Ubaldini, 2002. [Parts].
5) R. Gethin, 'I fondamenti del Buddhismo', Ubaldini, 2024. [Parts].
6) 'The Revelation of the Buddha. I testi antichi' (Vol. 1), edited by R. Gnoli, Mondadori, 2001. [Parts].
7) 'The Nyaya-Sutra: Selections With Early Commentaries', edited by M. Dasti & S. Phillips, Hackett, 2017. [Chapter Four].
8) A. Watson, 'Self or No-Self? The Atman Debate in Classical Indian Philosophy', https://www.academia.edu/38066225/Self_or_No_Self_The_%C4%80tman_Debate_in_Classical_Indian_Philosophy.
[Parts].
9) M. Kapstein, 'Reason's Traces', Wisdom, 2001, pp. 367-375 [Pages from Vasubandhu's 'Treatise on the Refutation of the Person'].
1) 'Bhagavad-gita' (UTET/BUR/Magnanelli or other reliable editions). [Chapter 2].
2) 'Kamasutra', edited by C. Pieruccini, Marsilio, 2020. [Introduction and selected parts of the text].
3) C. Pieruccini & M. Congedo, 'Viaggio nell'India del Nord', Einaudi, 2018. [Parts].
4) D. S. Lopez, 'Che cos'è il Buddhismo', Ubaldini, 2002. [Parts].
5) R. Gethin, 'I fondamenti del Buddhismo', Ubaldini, 2024. [Parts].
6) 'The Revelation of the Buddha. I testi antichi' (Vol. 1), edited by R. Gnoli, Mondadori, 2001. [Parts].
7) 'The Nyaya-Sutra: Selections With Early Commentaries', edited by M. Dasti & S. Phillips, Hackett, 2017. [Chapter Four].
8) A. Watson, 'Self or No-Self? The Atman Debate in Classical Indian Philosophy', https://www.academia.edu/38066225/Self_or_No_Self_The_%C4%80tman_Debate_in_Classical_Indian_Philosophy.
[Parts].
9) M. Kapstein, 'Reason's Traces', Wisdom, 2001, pp. 367-375 [Pages from Vasubandhu's 'Treatise on the Refutation of the Person'].
Assessment methods and Criteria
Participation in individual and/or group presentations and joint discussion.
Evaluation criteria
- autonomy of judgement;
- ability to cooperate and work in a group;
- effective communication and presentation skills
- ability to synthesise
Evaluation criteria
- autonomy of judgement;
- ability to cooperate and work in a group;
- effective communication and presentation skills
- ability to synthesise
Laboratorio Professionalizzante
- University credits: 2
Humanities workshops: 20 hours
Professor:
Tomasetta Alfredo
Ricerca Bibliografica e redazione di un testo scientifico filosofico
- University credits: 1
Humanities workshops: 16 hours
Professor(s)