Learning outcomes

Cultural anthropology tries to interpretate the differences that arise between individuals belonging to the same culture, or between different cultures, treating each of them as if it were an individual. Therefore, it takes these differences as a matter of fact, whereas philosophical anthropology tries to understand why, and by which means, men in general respond to the stimuli coming from their environment by creating the cultures in which they live. Thus philosophical anthropology poses itself the question about which sense – should there be any – men find about themselves, their presence, their place and duty in the world.

Program

Severiniana. The West, the mortal, and eternity.
This year students are invited to make a journey to the top of a high peak, namely the philosophical reflection of the greatest Italian philosopher of the 20th century: Emanuele Severino. We will contemplate from above the history of Western civilization as the history of nihilism, as well as the enduring faith of mortals in, well, their mortal fate.
Bibliography of the course:
- Audio files of the lessons, reperable at https://elearning.univr.it/j/;
- Bhagavad-gītā, preferably the edition by Anne-Marie Esnoul, Adelphi;
- Parmenide, Poema, reperable at https://elearning.univr.it/j/;
- Platone, Repubblica, V (any edition);
- Aristotele, I principi del divenire (= Fisica, I), ed. by Emanuele Severino, La Scuola, Brescia;
- Id., Il principio di non contraddizione (= Metafisica, IV), ed. by Emanuele Severino, La Scuola, Brescia;
- Hegel, La scienza della logica, vol. I: Prefazione; Introduzione; Libro I, Sezione I, Capitolo I: either the Laterza edition (Roma-Bari 1988, and following reprints) oppure Scienza della logica. Libro primo. L’essere (1812), ed. by Paolo Giuspoli, Giovanni Castegnaro e Paolo Livieri (Quaderni di Verifiche, 11), Verifiche, Trento 2009.
- Emanuele Severino, La struttura originaria, Adelphi, Milano 1981, chapters I-IV.
- Id., Essenza del nichilismo, Adelphi, Milano 1982 (and following reprints): «Ritornare a Parmenide», pp. 19-61; «La Terra e l’essenza dell’uomo», pp. 195-251.
Suggested text: Jan Assmann, La morte come tema culturale, Einaudi, Torino 2002.
Documentary: Riccardo Bononi, Madagascar, une belle vie, une belle mort (Italia 2014)
Students who will not attend the lessons shall contact the professor for further instructions.

Examination Methods

The final test consists of an oral examination concerning the authors, the subjects, and the texts discussed during the course.