Themes and Problems of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
Students will gain in-depth knowledge and expertise in an ongoing debate in the history of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire the ability to:
- critically analyse arguments in the history of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy;
- discuss and compare different philosophical positions in the history of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy;
- reflect on complex and articulated philosophical arguments, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses;
- take their own position in a philosophical debate and to put forward arguments in support of it;
- communicate the results of their research effectively, also using multimedia techniques to represent information with possible applications in teaching;
- use relational, communicative and organisational skills also in highly complex contexts and in the management of group work;
- transmit the skills obtained also in non-specialist contexts;
- reflect on their own skills and evaluations;
- autonomously research the philosophical sources of a debate or a school of thought;
- independently investigate a philosophical position or theoretical thesis.
- critically analyse arguments in the history of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy;
- discuss and compare different philosophical positions in the history of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy;
- reflect on complex and articulated philosophical arguments, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses;
- take their own position in a philosophical debate and to put forward arguments in support of it;
- communicate the results of their research effectively, also using multimedia techniques to represent information with possible applications in teaching;
- use relational, communicative and organisational skills also in highly complex contexts and in the management of group work;
- transmit the skills obtained also in non-specialist contexts;
- reflect on their own skills and evaluations;
- autonomously research the philosophical sources of a debate or a school of thought;
- independently investigate a philosophical position or theoretical thesis.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course will cover Book III of Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation. Didactic Unit A will examine paragraphs 30-38, Didactic Unit B paragraphs 39-50, and Didactic Unit C paragraphs 51-52. Relevant passages from Parerga and Paralipomena concerning these themes will also be examined."
Prerequisites for admission
No specific requirements other than those required for access to the degree program
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons
Teaching Resources
Attending students (6 and 9 CFU)
Giuseppe Cambiano, Luca Fonnesu, Massimo Mori (eds.), La filosofia moderna. Il Seicento e il Settecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018.
Ernst Cassirer, Storia della filosofia moderna. Il problema della conoscenza nella filosofia e nella scienza, volume terzo: I sistemi postkantiani. tomo II: Hegel, Herbart, Schopenhauer, Fries, Torino, Einaudi, 1978, pp. 514-557 (available on Teams);
Franco Restaino, Schopenhauer: arte, genio, idee e volontà, in Franco Restaino, Storia dell'estetica moderna, Torino, UTET, 1991, pp. 155-170 (available on Teams).
Non-attending students (6 and 9 CFU) shall add
Giuseppe Invernizzi, Invito al pensiero di Schopenhauer, Milano, Mursia, 1995
Attending students (6 and 9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 207-239: paragraphs 30-38; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 469-523: paragraphs 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.
Or: A. Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, introduction by C. Vasoli, translated by P. Savj-Lopez and G. De Lorenzo, Laterza, 2020.
Attending students (6 and 9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 239-283: paragraphs 39-50; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 524-546: paragraphs 34, 35, 36.
Non-attending students (6 and 9 CFU) shall add:
Giovanni Piana, Immagini per Schopenhauer (available on Teams)
Attending students (9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 283-310, 451-454: paragraphs 51-52, 71; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 547-588: paragraphs 37, 38, 39.
Non-attending students (9 CFU) shall add:
Piero Giordanetti, Appendice. Schopenhauer e Kant, in Kant e la musica, Milano, Cuem, 2001 (available on Teams).
Attending and non-attending students (9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Metafisica del bello e estetica, in Parerga e paralipomena, vol. 2, edited by M. Carpitella, Milano, Adelphi, 1983, chapter 19, pp. 548-598; Su giudizio, critica, applauso e gloria, Parerga e paralipomena, vol. 2, edited by M. Carpitella, Milano, Adelphi, 1983, chapter 20, pp. 599-632 (available on Teams).
Giuseppe Cambiano, Luca Fonnesu, Massimo Mori (eds.), La filosofia moderna. Il Seicento e il Settecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018.
Ernst Cassirer, Storia della filosofia moderna. Il problema della conoscenza nella filosofia e nella scienza, volume terzo: I sistemi postkantiani. tomo II: Hegel, Herbart, Schopenhauer, Fries, Torino, Einaudi, 1978, pp. 514-557 (available on Teams);
Franco Restaino, Schopenhauer: arte, genio, idee e volontà, in Franco Restaino, Storia dell'estetica moderna, Torino, UTET, 1991, pp. 155-170 (available on Teams).
Non-attending students (6 and 9 CFU) shall add
Giuseppe Invernizzi, Invito al pensiero di Schopenhauer, Milano, Mursia, 1995
Attending students (6 and 9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 207-239: paragraphs 30-38; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 469-523: paragraphs 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.
Or: A. Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, introduction by C. Vasoli, translated by P. Savj-Lopez and G. De Lorenzo, Laterza, 2020.
Attending students (6 and 9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 239-283: paragraphs 39-50; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 524-546: paragraphs 34, 35, 36.
Non-attending students (6 and 9 CFU) shall add:
Giovanni Piana, Immagini per Schopenhauer (available on Teams)
Attending students (9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione, edited by Giuseppe Riconda, Milano, Mursia, 1991, Book III, pp. 283-310, 451-454: paragraphs 51-52, 71; Arthur Schopenhauer, Supplementi a "Il mondo come volontà e rappresentazione", edited by Giorgio Brianese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013: Supplementi al Libro III, pp. 547-588: paragraphs 37, 38, 39.
Non-attending students (9 CFU) shall add:
Piero Giordanetti, Appendice. Schopenhauer e Kant, in Kant e la musica, Milano, Cuem, 2001 (available on Teams).
Attending and non-attending students (9 CFU)
Arthur Schopenhauer, Metafisica del bello e estetica, in Parerga e paralipomena, vol. 2, edited by M. Carpitella, Milano, Adelphi, 1983, chapter 19, pp. 548-598; Su giudizio, critica, applauso e gloria, Parerga e paralipomena, vol. 2, edited by M. Carpitella, Milano, Adelphi, 1983, chapter 20, pp. 599-632 (available on Teams).
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral: The exam, for both attending and non-attending students, consists of an oral test, an interview aimed at ascertaining the students' knowledge on the topics on the program and includes a question for each teaching unit.
Modules or teaching units
Parte A e B
PHIL-05/A - History of Philosophy - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Parte C
PHIL-05/A - History of Philosophy - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)