Learning objectives
1-Knowledge and understanding:
-knowledge of the philosophical and scientific thought of antiquity;
- Reading and understanding of the philosophical texts;
-knowledge of the terminology and the different philosophical methods needed for problem analysis and interpretation of texts;
2- Applying knowledge and understanding
- Production of reports and written tests in a clear, documented and argued, with proper use of the texts;
- Application of knowledge in interdisciplinary areas. Detection of connections of ideas between the history of philosophy, science and other cultural fields;
-reconstruction of cultural contexts with particular attention to the dialectic of the different positions.
Course unit content
The course will cover the theme of light in ancient times, with reference to the most important concepts in the field of medieval and contemporary.
Bibliography
a) M. DAUMAS (ed.), History of science, "Universale Laterza" 343/347, Laterza, Rome - Bari 1976 ff.
b) A. C. CROMBIE, From S. Augustine to Galileo. History of science from the fifth to the seventeenth century, Feltrinelli, Milan 1982 ff.
c) C. SINGER, A brief history of scientific thought, "Small Library Einaudi" 16, Einaudi, Torino 1975 ff.
d) E. J. DIJSTERHUIS, The mechanism and the image of the world. From the pre-Socratics in Newton, Feltrinelli, Milan 1971 ff.
e) A. R. HALL - M. BOAS HALL, History of science, Il Mulino, Bologna 1991 ff.
f) R. MAIOCCHI, History of science in Occidente. From the origins to the atomic bomb, La Nuova Italia/ Vita e Pensiero, Florence / Milan 2000/2010;
g) M. BERETTA, History of science material, Bruno Mondadori, Milan 2002
h) E. AGAZZI (ed.), History of Science, New Town, Rome, 1984, 2 vols.
i) C. Maccagni - P. Freguglia (ed.), History of Science, Bramante, Busto Arsizio 1989;
l) P. COURSES (ed.), History of science, in Italian Encyclopaedia of Science Literature and the Arts. Appendix fifth, Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, Rome 1995;
m) M. Baldini, History of science and technology from antiquity to 900, Armando, Roma 2000.
n) V. Ronchi, History of light, "Biblioteca Universale Laterza" 87, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1990: chapters on the antiquity and the Middle Ages;
o) F. Bevilacqua - M. G. IANNIELLO, Optics from its origins at the beginning of 700, Loescher, Turin 1982 et seq.: Parties on the antiquity and the Middle Ages;
Teaching methods
Lectures, presentations, term papers prepared by individual students or groups and their classroom discussion; any vision of bibliographic material preserved in libraries and related to the course; oral exposure of philosophical positions with public debate.
Assessment methods and criteria
Written essays personal; oral verification of the levels of learning achieved.
