The course aims at enabling students to read a classic of modern philosophical literature, by gaining the most significant interpretive keys, the ability to connect the work with the history of thought, and strengthening the knowledge of philosophical terminology.

The course will be dedicated to discuss fundamental issues in the history of philosophical thought from the scientific revolution to the Enlightenment, with a focus on Cartesian metaphysics. René Descartes' Meditations on first philosophy will be read and commented on.

None.

Knowledge and understanding: furthrance of knowledge and understanding of modern Western philosophical thought in its historical and conceptual development.

Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to analize a philosophical text through its historical context, knowledge of the history of its interpretations, its logical structure; ability to build logical and historically contextualized arguments, also applicable to other disciplines.

Making judgements: gain of a critical point of view with regard to a philosophical text and ability to build interpretative hypotheses with autonomy.

Communication skills: expressing, arguing and summarizing abilities.

Learning skills: study methodology, critical abilities, ability to master technical terminology; the student will be able to acquire new knowledge and skills, in order to access to additional training levels.

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

An ongoing formative assessment oral test will be carried out during the course.

Teaching

Lectures.

Innovative teaching methods

Debate, use of images.

Course books

- Storia della filosofia moderna, a cura di G. Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 53-60, 83-301, 317-333 e 380-394.

- R. Descartes, Meditazioni metafisiche, a cura di S. Landucci, Laterza.

- G. Mori, Cartesio, Carocci.

For a better understanding of Descartes' Meditations on first philosophy, the following text is suggested (optional): M.E. Scribano, Guida alla lettura delle «Meditazioni metafisiche» di Descartes, Laterza.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English or French.

Assessment

Oral exam on the course books.
The candidate will have to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental themes and problems of the history of Western philosophy through their elaboration in the most representative authors, showing a good argumentative ability, exposition accuracy, lexical competence. The candidate will be asked to read and comment a passage from Descartes’ Meditations on first philosophy.
The final evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths according to the following scale: 30 and praise =excellent; 30 = very good / excellent; 27-29 = good; 24-26 = discrete; 21-23 = sufficient; 18-21 = just enough. The exam is not passed when the essential knowledge is not acquired, the understanding of the learned contents is poor and the disciplinary lexicon is not appropriate.

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

Self-study.

Course books

- Storia della filosofia moderna, a cura di G. Belgioioso, Le Monnier-Mondadori, 2018, pp. 53-60, 83-301, 317-333 e 380-394.

- R. Descartes, Meditazioni metafisiche, a cura di S. Landucci, Laterza.

- G. Mori, Cartesio, Carocci.

For a better understanding of Descartes' Meditations on first philosophy, the following text is suggested (optional): M.E. Scribano, Guida alla lettura delle «Meditazioni metafisiche» di Descartes, Laterza.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English or French.

Assessment

Oral exam on the course books.
The candidate will have to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental themes and problems of the history of Western philosophy through their elaboration in the most representative authors, showing a good argumentative ability, exposition accuracy, lexical competence. The candidate will be asked to read and comment a passage from Descartes’ Meditations on first philosophy.
The final evaluation will be expressed in thirtieths according to the following scale: 30 and praise =excellent; 30 = very good / excellent; 27-29 = good; 24-26 = discrete; 21-23 = sufficient; 18-21 = just enough. The exam is not passed when the essential knowledge is not acquired, the understanding of the learned contents is poor and the disciplinary lexicon is not appropriate.

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.

Upon request by students, the lecturer will provide information on course books and optional reading in English or French.