Teaching code

4S01268

Teacher

Luca Ciancio

Coordinator

Luca Ciancio

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

M-STO/05 - HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Period

CuCi 2 A, CuCi 2 B

Courses Single

Authorized

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

The aim of the course is to deepen the knowledge about the eighteenth-century reflection on the evolutionary mechanisms on the conceptions of nature, of man and of society, in an interdisciplinary perspective.

Prerequisites and basic notions

No prerequisits

Program

The scientific discovery of the environment: the rise of ecology
Introduction
1. Environmental crisis and western thought
2. Man and nature in ancient Greek thought
3. Christian thought and the environment
From Renaissance to Enlightenment
4. Bacon and technology: death of nature?
5. Natural theology: Gilbert White of Selborne
6. Linneo: balance and war of nature
The Ninenteenth century: from Romantic nature to Positivism
7. Alexander von Humboldt
8. Henry D. Thoreau, George B. Emerson, Walt Whitmann
9. Charles Darwin
Recent developments: the science of ecology between academy and political action
10. Aldo Leopold and the land ethic
11. Ecology as an academic discipline: Elton, Tansley, Lindeman, Odum
12. Rachel Carson and James Lovelock
13. Environmental crisis and the Infosphere
The lecture will consist of two parts. During the first part, the general topic will be introduced by the Professor. In second part, students will be requested to analyse and debate a series of materials - historical sources and essays - provided in advance in electronic format.
The textbooks for the preparation of the exam are the following: 1. D. Worster, Storia delle idee ecologiche, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1994.
A mail contact with the Professor is strongly suggested to those who cannot participate to the lectures.
Further bibliographic suggestions:
History of ecology:
D. Worster, The Wealth of Nature, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1991.
P. Acot, Storia dell’ecologia, Roma, Lucarini, 1989. (FIL IV 435)
P. Acot (ed.), The European Origins of Scientific Ecology, Gordon and Breach, Chateau-Gontier: Imp. de l'independant, 1998.
J.P. Deléage, Storia dell’ecologia, Napoli, CUEN, 1994. (GEO 2180)
W. Leiss, Scienza e dominio. Il dominio della natura: storia di un’ideologia, Milano, Longanesi, 1976. (BF 11 L 136)
J.-M. Drouin, L’écologie et son historie, Paris, Flammarion, 1991.
J. Browne, The Secular Ark, New York, Yale University Press, 1983.
F. Brevini, L’invenzione della natura selvaggia, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2013.
History of environment:
K. Thomas, L’uomo e la natura. Dallo sfruttamento all’estetica dell’ambiente, Torino, Einaudi, 1994.
J. Diamond, Collasso. Come le società scelgono di morire o vivere, Torino Einaudi, 2005
P. Bevilacqua, La Terra è finita. Breve storia dell’ambiente, Roma, Laterza, 2006.
Environmental philosophy:
Evandro Agazzi, La nostra responsabilità per la natura, Casale Monferrato, Piemme, 1995.
Aldo Leopold, Almanacco di un mondo semplice, Como, Red-studio redazionale, 1997
C. Locatelli, Il mondo classico e l’idea di natura vivente, Pisa, Edizioni ETS, 1998.
Carolyn Merchant , La morte della natura : le donne, l’ecologia e la rivoluzione scientifica, Milan, Garzanti 1988.
R.F. Nash, The Right of Nature, Madison, The University of Winsconsin Press, 1989.
Piergiacomo Pagano, Filosofia ambientale, Fidenza, Mattioli 1885, 2006.
John Passmore, La nostra responsabilità per la natura, Milan, Feltrinelli 1991.
Sergio Pinna, La protezione dell'ambiente. Il contributo della filosofia, dell'economia e della geografia, Milan, Franco Angeli, 1995.
Nicola Russo, Filosofia ed ecologia. Genealogia della scienza ecologica ed etica della crisi ambientale, Naples, Guida, 2000.
Mariachiara Tallacchini (ed.), Etiche della terra : antologia di filosofia dell'ambiente, Milan, Vita e Pensiero, 1998.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The classroom meetings include, in the first part, a frontal lesson enriched by slides that allow you to read and comment on texts, visual representations, original documents. In the second part, students are asked to discuss in seminar the texts that the teacher will make available in Pdf format on the online platforms well in advance.

Learning assessment procedures

During the traditional oral interview the Professor will ask the student to discuss verbally two or more topics of the programme.
International students and students that do not intend to partecipate to the lectures are kindly requested to get in contact with the Professor as soon as possible.

Evaluation criteria

The objective of the exam consists in verifying the level of achievement of the previously indicated educational objectives. In particular, by asking the student to illustrate two or more points of the program, the teacher will evaluate the breadth and accuracy of the contents acquired by the student, the clarity and logic of the argument, the autonomy and originality of the thought. The active participation of the student in class work will be an important element of evaluation.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final grade is unitary and refers both to the study carried out and to the participation in class work.

Exam language

italiano