Teaching code

4S012313

Credits

12

Coordinator

Alessandro Stavru

Language

Italian

Also offered in courses:

• History of Ancient Philosophy of the course Bachelor's degree in Philosophy

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

M-FIL/07 - HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY

Courses Single

Authorized

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

KNOWLEDGE The course aims at offering detailed knowledge of the basic subjects, authors and schools of ancient philosophy, thus allowing students to expand their knowledge about the history of a seminal period of the history of Western philosophy. The knowledge about the main authors, schools and topics of ancient Greek thought will help students to gain a detailed overview of the history of Western philosophy and its main concepts. Tools will be provided to develop the ability to correctly frame ancient philosophical texts, from both a historical-critical and hermeneutical perspective, as well as the appropriate use of appropriate philosophical terminology. SKILLS At the end of the course, students will be able to frame ancient philosophical texts within their proper historical-critical perspectives; to approach them from a sound hermeneutical viewpoint; and to critically evaluate the subjects and the authors discussed. This will also enable to draw parallels between topics of ancient philosophy and contemporary subjects and authors. Students will also develop the capacity to communicate philosophical contents to specialists and non-specialists alike, and the capacity to continue their studies at a MA level.

Prerequisites and basic notions

A previous knowledge of ancient philosophy is not required. The knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin is not compulsory. More important is a careful lexical research and an interest in a critical reading of philosophical texts.

Program

Course Title and Content of the First Module: "Authors, Texts and Problems of Ancient Philosophy: From Thales to Proclus"
The first module (36h, in September and October) tackles the authors and problems of ancient philosophy (7th century B.C. - 5th century A.D.). The aim is to provide the essential tools for an initial approach to the discipline. Particular attention will be paid to the terminological and conceptual nuclei that characterise ancient philosophical thought, also in the light of its subsequent repercussions, especially on modernity and contemporaneity.
The course is divided into two complementary tracks:
1) in-depth study of a manualistic nature, accompanied by the reading of passages (in Italian) by the greatest exponents of ancient philosophy (from Thales to Proclus);
2) reading of texts on the history of philosophy conceived by ancient authors (Book A of Aristotle's Metaphysics, Lives of the Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius) and modern authors (Lectures on the History of Philosophy by Hegel), aimed at obtaining a perspective on the history of ancient thought that is organic to western philosophical speculation.
Examination texts:
a) Manuale: L. PALUMBO, Trentadue ore di filosofia antica, Loffredo, Napoli 2015.
b) Texts on the history of ancient philosophy: course reserve containing texts by Aristotle, Diogenes Laertius, Hegel (available on Moodle; paper version available at the Replay Verona copy shop, Via S. Francesco 18/A).
Title and Content of the Second Module: “Plato and Rhetoric”
The second Module (36h, in November and December) focuses on the complex relationship between Plato and the rhetoric of his time. Two dialogues will be examined, the "Gorgias" and the "Euthydemus", which will be read in their entirety, and "Against the Sophists", a writing by a rhetorician contemporary to Plato, Isocrates. The module aims at reconstructing the refutative and defining modalities through which Plato propounds a 'true rhetoric', capable of replacing other forms of rhetoric of his time, such as sophistry and eristics. A comparison with Isocrates will focus on the peculiar features of Plato's standpoint against other rhetorical theories of the 4th century.
Examination texts:
(a) Plato, Gorgias (any edition; e.g. that edited by D. Zucca, Foschi, Santarcangelo 2023);
(b) Plato, Euthydemus (any edition; e.g. that edited by G. Reale, Bompiani, Milan 2015)
c) Isocrates, Against the Sophists (out of print; text contained in the course reserve available on Moodle; paper version available at Replay Verona copy shop, Via S. Francesco 18/A);
Recorded lessons will be available on the Moodle platform and are an integral part of the exam syllabus. NB: listening to the recordings does not replace reading the scheduled texts.
PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: The program for non-attending students is identical to that for attending students, with the exception of the volume A. Stavru, A colloquium with Socrates, which must be brought in its entirety.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The teaching is carried out in frontal mode. The recordings of the lessons are available on the Moodle page of the course.
Students in special situations of fragility, unable to attend classes due to disability conditions or particularly disabling learning disorders, are invited to contact the "Inclusion and Accessibility Service", which will assess on a case-by-case basis the actual impossibility of attendance and agree with the teachers concerned on how to support them.

Learning assessment procedures

Prerequisites: Preliminary knowledge of the history of ancient and medieval philosophy and of ancient Greek and Latin is certainly a facilitation, but it is not compulsory. Rather, attention to lexical research and an inclination to critical reading of the philosophical text are required.
Teaching methods: The course includes lectures with introductory presentation of the authors, subsequent direct reading of texts and common discussion.
Evaluation method: The student will be questioned orally on two segments of the history of ancient philosophy. He/she will be able - optionally and voluntarily - to prepare an essay of 5-10 folders on the monographic section of the course, which will become the starting point for the oral exam (the essays must be delivered to the teacher, also by email, at least one week before the exam date). The average duration of the exam session is 10-15 minutes. The exam methods are differentiated between attending and non-attending students (see program).

Evaluation criteria

Ability to organize and articulate the acquired knowledge; critical reasoning on the topics of the course; quality, depth and coherence of the exposition, competence in the use of terminology and expressions rerlated to ancient philosophy.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The evaluation is expressed in a grade out of thirty.

Exam language

Italiano (prevalentemente, ma non esclusivamente)

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