Learning objectives
A sufficient acquaintance with the main topics of the philosophical debates in XVIth-XVIIIth centuries. Reading and learning ability, related mainly to philosophical texts; good acquaintance with philosophical terms and with different philosophical schools.
Course unit content
«Nature, the art whereby God hath made and governs the world, is by the art of man, as in many other things, so in this also imitated, that it can make an artificial animal».
Natural, artificial, hypothetical. Philosophy according to Thomas Hobbes.
The quotation is from Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan opening words; they can be used more generally to delineate the masin feature of Hobbes' project of a new philosophy, beginning with "De corpore" and being completed by "De corpore". The main issues of Hobbes'philosophy (natural philosophy, ethics and politics) will be discussed in the course.
Full programme
In the first part the reading of some passages from the most important texts will provide a survey of the philosophical context of the topics dealt with in the second part of the course.
Bibliography
Bibliography:
first part:
-Antology of philosophical texts from Renaissancce to I. Kant to download from the site of the course
or:
-a Handbook of Modern Philosophy; suggested handbooks:
a) Storia della Filosofia diretta da M. Dal Pra, vol VII: La filosofia moderna dal Quattrocento al Seicento (chap. 16-18, 20-21, 23-25, 31-32); vol. VIII: Il Settecento (chap. 8-10, 15), , Milano-Padova, Vallardi-Piccin Nuova Libraria 1999
b) P. Rossi-A. Viano, Storia della filosofia. 3. Dal Quattrocento al Seicento, Roma-Bari, Laterza 1995 (chap. XX-XXI); 4. Il Settecento, Roma-Bari, Laterza 1996 (chap. II, IV, XII-XXIV)
c) N. ABBAGNANO, Storia della filosofia, Torino Utet, oppure Milano TEA vari anni di edizione: chapters from Descartes a Kant.
second part:
-THOMAS HOBBES, Leviatano, Testo inglese del 1651 a fronte. Testo latino del 1628 in nota. A cura di RAFFAELLA SANTI, Milano, Bompiani 2001 (Il pensiero occidentale).
-ARRIGO PACCHI, Introduzione a Hobbes, Bari-Roma, Laterza 19997.
-more bibliographical recommendations during the lessons.
Assessment methods and criteria
paper and oral examination
Other information
More informations and educational material in the web site of the course:
http://www.didaschein.net/corsiuniversitari/2016-2017
