The module aims to develop the necessary competencies for intercultural orienteering in the philosophy of language by focusing on the écart between logos and Dao.

Aiming at such a goal, I intend to offer my students the tools for:

-understanding the grounding outlines of Aristotelian semantics and of the semiotic thought implicit in the Daodejing;

-problematizing the main basic notions of the semiotics of culture;

-using the concepts of communal and universalizing elaborated by François Jullien.

The French philosopher and sinologist François Jullien thinks of cultures in a new way and different from the essentialist approach, so he gets close to the semiotics of culture's perspective. He overcomes it towards a fully-fledged philosophy of interculturality.  The consequences in the philosophy of language concern the écart between how Western tradition thought about language in terms of logos and how the tension between Dao and ming (names) allowed thinking of language as a way out of natural order rather than as a cognitive way of access to this order in Chinese culture.

1) Introduction to the basic notions of the semiotics of culture:

-  Lévi-Strauss's structure

- Jakobson's codes

- Lotman's semiosphere

- Eco's encyclopedia 

- Geertz's interpretation

- from Barthes to socio-semiotics

- norms and habits

- Jullien between communal and universalizing

2) The Daodejing:

- the problem of wen (writing) and ming (names)

- yangsheng (bodily cultivation) practices 

- Dao (Way) and de (virtue) in the Neiye

- Laozi's semiotic thought

3) Aristotle and Metaphysics's fourth book:

- first philosophy and being

- the logos

- definition and meaning definiteness

- the excluded between between negation and affirmation

None.

Knowledge and understanding

- knowledge of the main aspects of the semiotics of culture;

- the ability to grasp the écart between logos and Dao.

Knowledge and understanding skills applied

- the student will manage to apply some aspects of the semiotics of culture;

-  the student will manage to comment on and contrast some of the key texts of the philosophy of language.    

Autonomy of judgment

- the student will be able to adopt an intercultural perspective in the field of philosophy of language.

Communication skills

- the student will be provided with some elements to argue clearly and convincingly concerning culture and language.     

Ability to learn

- once the module will be over, the student will have gained acquaintance with the main notions of the semiotics of culture and of philosophy of language in an intercultural key in order to autonomously deepen his/her knowledge about them;

- the student will be inclined to learn from an intermediate position between European tradition and Chinese tradition.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

During some of the module hours, the following activities will be held:

- semiotics seminar on chronosensibility and transforming word

- intercultural philosophy seminar

Teaching

Lectures with final discussion

Innovative teaching methods

flipped classroom (only in part 3 of the program) 

Attendance

Students who intend to be examined as attending students do not need to reach a certain attendance percentage but are just advised to attend regularly, otherwise, they should look at the nonattending section for information.

Only exam books (section A of course books) are to be considered compulsory.

Course books

A) Exam books:

1) Aristotele, Metafisica, tr. it. E. Berti, Bari-Roma 2017, pp. 127-183;

2) Laozi, Daodejing. Il canone della Via e della Virtù, tr. it. A. Andreini, Torino 2018;

3) A.M. Lorusso, Semiotica della cultura, Bari-Roma 2010;

4) F. Jullien, L'universale e il comune. Il dialogo tra culture, Bari-Roma 2010, pp.19-26, 109-131.

B) Further readings:

1)  F. Jullien, Parlare senza parole. Logos e Tao, Bari-Roma 2008;

2)  M. Ghilardi, Filosofia dell'interculturalità, Brescia 2012;

3)  Dong Zhu & Wei Ren, An Inquiry into the Semiotic Thought of Laozi, Signs & Media 1 (2020), pp. 26-39, doi:10.1163/25900323-12340003;

4) A. Crisma (a cura di), Neiye. Il Tao dell'armonia interiore, Milano 2015.

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on some of the fundamental notions of the semiotics of culture and on singular passages from Aristotle's Metaphysics's fourth book and Daodejing to be read and commented on by the candidate. There is the possibility of sending a short paper at least a week before the chosen assessment date in order to have a sensibly shorter oral examination. The paper is meant to make use of at least one of the further readings listed in section B of the course books and to follow the editing rules provided in Moodle. In the paper, the student must perform a contrast between a passage of choice from Aristotle's Metaphysics's fourth book and a chapter of choice from Daodejing.

Specific attention will be paid to the proper use of technical language.

A critical approach to studied theories is highly valued. Personal insights and comparative skills are positively valued.

Assessment criteria:

- Excellence is described in terms of clear exposition and proper language, skillful linkage among different theories, good critical and deepening skills;

- Goodness is described in terms of clear exposition (even if mnemonic), good linkage among different theories, some critical skills, and proper language;

- Sufficiency is described in terms of minimal knowledge, generic linkage among theories, barely proper language;

- Insufficiency is described in terms of lack of minimal knowledge, evident failure in attaining learning objectives, and lack of use of technical language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students can arrange meetings with the teacher to ask for explanations about the contents of exam books.

Attendance

Attendance is substituted by the individual and autonomous study of exam books (section A of course books).

Course books

A) Exam books:

1) Aristotele, Metafisica, tr. it. E. Berti, Bari-Roma 2017, 127-183;

2) Laozi, Daodejing. Il canone della Via e della Virtù, tr. it. A. Andreini, Torino 2018;

3) A.M. Lorusso, Semiotica della cultura, Bari-Roma 2010;

4) F. Jullien, Parlare senza parole. Logos e Tao, Bari-Roma 2008.

B) Further readings:

1) F. Jullien, L'universale e il comune. Il dialogo tra culture, Bari-Roma 2010;

2)  M. Ghilardi, Filosofia dell'interculturalità, Brescia 2012;

3)  Dong Zhu & Wei Ren, An Inquiry into the Semiotic Thought of Laozi, Signs & Media 1 (2020), pp. 26-39, doi:10.1163/25900323-12340003;

4) A. Crisma (a cura di), Neiye. Il Tao dell'armonia interiore, Milano 2015.

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on some of the fundamental notions of the semiotics of culture and on singular passages from Aristotle's Metaphysics's fourth book and Daodejing to be read and commented on by the candidate. There is the possibility of sending a short paper at least a week before the chosen assessment date in order to have a sensibly shorter oral examination. The paper is meant to make use of at least one of the further readings listed in section B of the course books and to follow the editing rules provided in Moodle. In the paper, the student must perform a contrast between a passage of choice from Aristotle's Metaphysics's fourth book and a chapter of choice from Daodejing.

Specific attention will be paid to the proper use of technical language.

A critical approach to studied theories is highly valued. Personal insights and comparative skills are positively valued.

Assessment criteria:

- Excellence is described in terms of clear exposition and proper language, skillful linkage among different theories, good critical and deepening skills;

- Goodness is described in terms of clear exposition (even if mnemonic), good linkage among different theories, some critical skills, and proper language;

- Sufficiency is described in terms of minimal knowledge, generic linkage among theories, barely proper language;

- Insufficiency is described in terms of lack of minimal knowledge, evident failure in attaining learning objectives, and lack of use of technical language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.