Learning objectives
Knowledge and Understanding
At the course’s end the student shall be in a position to understand the different meanings which the taste’s concept assumes in the Diderot’s works taken into examination the relationship between such semantic stratification and the historical-philosophical and theoretical-critical context. Besides the student shall understand the relationship between the natural and cultural constituent and the taste’s relativity and universality concurrence.
Applying Knowledge and Understanding
The student, at the course end shall be able to correctly apply the cognitive contents learnt at the texts which haven’t been read or analysed by the teacher, and to be able to enunciate clear and logically coherent explanations.
Making judgements
By means of the lessons and seminars in-depth study frequent participation (in which different perspectives will be compared and of which will be suggested optional readings) and by means of the personal study, the student will be urged to interiorize the matters, to develop a critical reading and an independent judgement concerning the categories and the aesthetic theories covered during the lesson.
Communication Skills
During the active participation in the lessons the student shall be able to communicate in a coherent manner elucidation and in-depth analysis questions, comments. The written report drawing up, following description and discussion together with the teacher, will involve and consolidate the student’s communication abilities.
Learning Skills
The final examination will consist on the analysis of the critical literature mentioned in the base bibliography and on a written paperwork discussion regarding a research subject detected during the course progress. The student shall prove methodological capabilities in the research scientifically setting, indicating the investigation procedures; besides he shall demonstrate learning capability, correctly using the course’s contents.
Prerequisites
A specific base dictionary knowledge is required, regarding the main categories and the methodology which characterizes the discipline.
Course unit content
The course will concern the Taste’s aesthetic concept. In the beginning it will be taken into examination the origin of such concept in the modern aesthetics, underlining the relationship between natural and cultural constituents. Later on it will be considered the physiological meaning which assumes the taste’s concept in the Diderot’s materialistic aesthetics. It will be shown the relationship between the taste and the memory’s and imagination’s organic faculties and the importance that the art assumes like expressive and formative form of the perceptible and gustative experience. The taste will be revealed like an essential category to understand the connection between body and mind, between experience and representation.
Full programme
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Bibliography
E. Franzini, L’estetica del Settecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, ultima edizione.
M. Mazzocut-Mis, M. Bertolini, R. Messori, C. Rozzoni, P. Vincenzi (a cura di) Entrare nell’opera: i Salons di Diderot. Selezione antologica e analisi critica, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2012.
L. Russo (a cura di), Il Gusto. Storia di una idea estetica, Palermo, Aesthetica edizioni, 2000.
D. Diderot, Il sogno di D'Alembert, Milano, Bur, ultima edizione.
Teaching methods
Besides the main traditional lessons, seminars will be held regarding subjects which study in depth the knowledge by teachers from the same discipline or from other sectors, in order to foster a comparison between different perspectives. During the lesson, some slides will be projected with images, bibliographical references from suggested texts, a diagrams synthesising some essential points in the course.
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination includes a written and an oral section. The thesis,
whose subject shall be agreed upon with the teacher, will be discussed
during the oral examination’s first session. There will be a lesson held at
the course’s end devoted to the thesis. The oral thesis will be regarding
the base bibliography and the subjects covered during the lessons.
Other information
Attendance is highly recommended. During the lessons and in particular during the seminars, the students will be urged to actively participate.
Projected slides will be available for students along with lesson notes.
