History of the Foundations of Physics
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with a comprehension of the development of early-modern and contemporary physics through a study of some historically significant cases. The course may be useful for the conception, organization and coordination of cultural activities and projects concerning the history of physics and its relationships with philosophy.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student
- knows the fundamental elements of the development of early-modern and contemporary physics
- knows the details, including some mathematical demonstrations and experimental results, of some important discoveries of early-modern and contemporary physics
- understands the relationships between the history of scientific thought and the history of philosophy and the philosophy of science
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student
- can apply the knowledge acquired in situating authors and texts historically
- can apply the scientific lexicon of early-modern and contemporary physics to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems
- can apply the understanding of the historical relationships between science and philosophical doctrines to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems.
- knows the fundamental elements of the development of early-modern and contemporary physics
- knows the details, including some mathematical demonstrations and experimental results, of some important discoveries of early-modern and contemporary physics
- understands the relationships between the history of scientific thought and the history of philosophy and the philosophy of science
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student
- can apply the knowledge acquired in situating authors and texts historically
- can apply the scientific lexicon of early-modern and contemporary physics to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems
- can apply the understanding of the historical relationships between science and philosophical doctrines to the analysis and discussion of texts and problems.
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
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Topic: The Mathematization of the Philosophy of Nature in Isaac Newton's Principia: Historical Development and Historiography
The mathematization of the "philosophy of nature" (the discipline whose aim was to investigate the causes of natural phenomena) underwent significant development from the early 17th century to the early 18th century. Since the time of Galileo, some innovative mathematicians began applying mathematics to the study of nature with unprecedented success. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to innovate mathematics. However, this innovative approach was often rejected and dismissed by defenders of methods inherited from the Aristotelian and Euclidean traditions. Furthermore, even among the innovators, it was unclear which mathematical methods should be defended and developed, and what the nature of mathematical objects was. The debate concerning the nature and aims of mathematical natural philosophy touched on many philosophical themes, such as the relationship between symbolism and reality, the certainty of the mathematical sciences, the relationship between geometry and algebra, and the nature of the continuum and infinitesimal quantities. The course explores these debates by focusing on Isaac Newton's work Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica, published in 1687, drawing on secondary literature that offers often conflicting accounts of this chapter of the so-called "Scientific Revolution." The course has a dual purpose: to introduce students to a chapter in the history of science—the advent of Newton's theory of universal gravitation—and to critically examine the historiography dedicated to it.
Students enrolled in the 6-credit program must attend the first 40 hours of lectures (the first two teaching units); those enrolled in the 9-credit program must attend all 60 hours of lectures.
Online environment available on MyAriel
Lecture recordings: No
Teaching proposal for non-attending students: 2 lectures dedicated to non-attending students via videoconference (Teams). The first and last lectures will be held in a blended format: that is, I will be in the classroom with the in-person students and will activate Teams for non-attending students, recording the lectures. The recordings will remain available for two weeks, then they will be deleted.
Teams: History of the Fundamentals of Physics
You can access the session directly using the team code during class times (see the course's My Ariel pages)
The other classes will be held in person, and I will stream via Teams (no recording) only if the classroom is full.
I will upload the slides shown in class for all lectures to the "Contents" section of the course's MyAriel page, where you will also find other useful materials (links to websites, texts, images, etc.).
Validity of the syllabus: 1 academic year, in accordance with the degree program's academic regulations.
The mathematization of the "philosophy of nature" (the discipline whose aim was to investigate the causes of natural phenomena) underwent significant development from the early 17th century to the early 18th century. Since the time of Galileo, some innovative mathematicians began applying mathematics to the study of nature with unprecedented success. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to innovate mathematics. However, this innovative approach was often rejected and dismissed by defenders of methods inherited from the Aristotelian and Euclidean traditions. Furthermore, even among the innovators, it was unclear which mathematical methods should be defended and developed, and what the nature of mathematical objects was. The debate concerning the nature and aims of mathematical natural philosophy touched on many philosophical themes, such as the relationship between symbolism and reality, the certainty of the mathematical sciences, the relationship between geometry and algebra, and the nature of the continuum and infinitesimal quantities. The course explores these debates by focusing on Isaac Newton's work Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica, published in 1687, drawing on secondary literature that offers often conflicting accounts of this chapter of the so-called "Scientific Revolution." The course has a dual purpose: to introduce students to a chapter in the history of science—the advent of Newton's theory of universal gravitation—and to critically examine the historiography dedicated to it.
Students enrolled in the 6-credit program must attend the first 40 hours of lectures (the first two teaching units); those enrolled in the 9-credit program must attend all 60 hours of lectures.
Online environment available on MyAriel
Lecture recordings: No
Teaching proposal for non-attending students: 2 lectures dedicated to non-attending students via videoconference (Teams). The first and last lectures will be held in a blended format: that is, I will be in the classroom with the in-person students and will activate Teams for non-attending students, recording the lectures. The recordings will remain available for two weeks, then they will be deleted.
Teams: History of the Fundamentals of Physics
You can access the session directly using the team code during class times (see the course's My Ariel pages)
The other classes will be held in person, and I will stream via Teams (no recording) only if the classroom is full.
I will upload the slides shown in class for all lectures to the "Contents" section of the course's MyAriel page, where you will also find other useful materials (links to websites, texts, images, etc.).
Validity of the syllabus: 1 academic year, in accordance with the degree program's academic regulations.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no specific entry requirements other than those required for admission to the Master's degree programme in Philosophy.
Teaching methods
Lectures. Materials, slides and information will be made available on the course's MyAriel page
Teaching Resources
Common to courses worth 6 and 9 credits
Niccolò Guicciardini, Isaac Newton: Filosofo della Natura, interprete della Scrittura, cronologo degli Antichi Regni, Carocci, 2021, ISBN: 9788829004300
Smith, George, "Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2024 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
Janiak, Andrew, "Newton's Philosophy", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Rynasiewicz, Robert, "Newton's Views on Space, Time, and Motion", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Supplementary for the 9-credit course
Isaac Newton, Principî matematici della filosofia naturale, a cura di F. Giudice, Einaudi, 2018, ISBN 9788806227531.
For non-attending students.
In addition to the texts listed above:
For the 6-credit course
Slowik, Edward, "Descartes' Physics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2025 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
For the 9-credit course
Slowik, Edward, "Descartes' Physics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2025 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
DiSalle, Robert, "Space and Time: Inertial Frames", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Niccolò Guicciardini, Isaac Newton: Filosofo della Natura, interprete della Scrittura, cronologo degli Antichi Regni, Carocci, 2021, ISBN: 9788829004300
Smith, George, "Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2024 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
Janiak, Andrew, "Newton's Philosophy", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Rynasiewicz, Robert, "Newton's Views on Space, Time, and Motion", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Supplementary for the 9-credit course
Isaac Newton, Principî matematici della filosofia naturale, a cura di F. Giudice, Einaudi, 2018, ISBN 9788806227531.
For non-attending students.
In addition to the texts listed above:
For the 6-credit course
Slowik, Edward, "Descartes' Physics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2025 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
For the 9-credit course
Slowik, Edward, "Descartes' Physics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2025 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.), URL =
DiSalle, Robert, "Space and Time: Inertial Frames", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Assessment methods and Criteria
Students must submit a written assignment agreed with the lecturer (approximately 5,000 words), which will be assessed according to the following criteria: 1. relevance to the topics discussed during the course; 2. originality of the topic and the chosen approach; 3. analytical skill and depth of interpretation; 4. formal quality of the presentation (appropriate use of terminology, coherence of argumentation, accuracy of the critical apparatus).
The paper must be submitted to the lecturer by email at least one week before the exam date, which will consist of a discussion of the written paper.
The paper must be submitted to the lecturer by email at least one week before the exam date, which will consist of a discussion of the written paper.
Modules or teaching units
Parte A e B
PHIL-02/B - History of Science and Technology - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Parte C
PHIL-02/B - History of Science and Technology - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Wednesday, 10:00-13:00 Cortile Ghiacciaia 2d floor. Please email me before.
If you contact me via mail a Teams/Zoom video call can be arranged.