Teaching code

4S007333

Teacher

Carlo Chiurco

Coordinator

Carlo Chiurco

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

M-FIL/03 - MORAL PHILOSOPHY

Period

Sem. 1A dal Sep 26, 2022 al Nov 5, 2022.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

1) Knowledge and understanding of the psychological theories on the fundamental processes, according to which individuals interact with, and adapt to, their material and social environment; 2) Knowledge and understanding of the theories on psychological dynamics within working environments and in organisations, including personal motivations, satisfaction, and well-being; 3) Knowledge and understanding of work processes, the legal aspects that regulate them, and related ethical aspects; 4) Applying the different perspectives of law, sociology of work, ethics and anthropology to read and understand diversity and migration, in order to favor and support processes of social and cultural inclusion. SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES. a) To develop the ability to autonomously express statements about the different ways human interaction occurs within a social and material environment from an ethical perspective. In particular, students will focus on human self-realization (both as individuals and as a society) in the practical sphere, especially at work; b) To develop sufficient communicative skills and comprehension abilities so to enable students to apply general ethical notions to some of the main moral issues of present-day world, especially inclusivity, defense of pluralism, and valorization of difference(s).

Prerequisites and basic notions

There are no necessary pre-requisites. A high-school level knowledge of the history of Western philosophy may be useful.

Program

Title of the course: Living the Uncertain.
The course will consist of two parts. The first will outline a short but comprehensive history of moral philosophy, presenting the ethical thinking of some of the greatest philosophers (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, medieval ethics, modern ethics, Kant, Nietzsche, contemporary ethics) as well as the main ethical questions discussed by philosophers through the centuries, such as good, evil, happiness, must, and justice.
The second part will deal with the topic of incertitude. The COVID pandemics has taught us many lessons, but the most important is arguably this one: our lives are made of incertitude. We trust too much our rationality, our will, our sovereign subjectivity: we must re-learn how to live with the incertitude that is so deeply intertwined within human existence. We will analyse the many meanings of incertitude, as they have been highlighted by ancient Greek philosophy, science, and moral philosophy, and we will look at incertitude as a moral virtue – a practical guide to living.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Classes will be held exclusively in presence, without any resorting to emergency online teaching. The latter will be confined solely to students who are incapacitated to attend in-presence classes because of CoViD: in this case, students are obliged to show proof of their health status after filling the specific form. The way classes are taught to ill students will be decided by the professor. It may include sending or uploading of the audio file of the class(es), the organisation of a class via streaming, sending additional teaching material, or organising a meeting (in-presence or via streaming).


Classes include lecturing and texts reading (complete or partial). Texts will be explained, and they can belong to different ages and/or authors. Reading may include multi-media supports, such as Power Point files, movie or video projections, and the audio files of the classes. The latter will be made available to students only at the end of the course. External academics or experts may also be invited to give a presentation.
Any change or suspension in the classes schedule – as well as, possibly, their complete timetable – will be communicated as soon as possible by email sent to the students’ institutional accounts.
Meeting hours for students are scheduled during the whole academic year. The meetings’ timetable is found at the personal webpage of the teacher, and it is constantly kept updated. However, students are required to arrange a meeting in advance by sending an email to the teacher.

The course program remains the same for non-attending students too, who can choose a personalised program in order to help them coping with job, health, or family issues, or simply because they choose so. A personalised program – which in any case must be jointly decided with the teacher – consists in reading other texts in addition to the general bibliography. These, however, integrate the texts of the program but do not substitute them. The professor is always ready to be helpful and provide all the necessary support.

Learning assessment procedures

The final examination consists of a written test, comprising ten multi-choice questions (with a single correct answer) and two open questions, aimed to ascertain students’ knowledge on the following topics: 1) history of Western ethics; 2) knowledge on the subjects dealt with in the second part of the course. The test will last two hours. Students who did not attend classes are also required to pass the test.
In case of a low turnout, the examination will be oral: students will be promptly informed of any variation by an email sent to their institutional accounts. The oral examination will consists of three questions on the same topics of the written one.

Evaluation criteria

The examination aims to ascertain: a) the level of knowledge acquired by students; b) the level of their acquired competences; c) the properness of their ways of expression their knowledge and competence.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

In the written examination, each correct answer to the multi-choice questions (a single correct answer) scores 1 point, each open questions scores up to 10 points. The maximum score is 30 points, with the possibility to get the cum laude distinction.
In the oral examination, each question scores up to 10 points: 4 for the level of knowledge and competences respectively, and 2 for the properness of language.

Exam language

Italiano.