The module aims to develop the necessary competencies for orienteering in the philosophy of language by focusing on semiotic and aesthetic underpinnings.

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

- understanding the grounding outlines of the philosophy of language in the context of contemporary philosophy;

- getting an acquaintance with the Italian tradition in semiotics;

- problematizing the idea of beauty from an intercultural and linguistic perspective.

1) Introduction to the philosophy of language (9 hours):

- paradigms in contemporary philosophy

- Aristotle, Peirce and Saussure

- Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein

- Wittgenstein and ordinary language (Austin, Grice, Searle)

- Quine and Putnam

- Heidegger and Gadamer

- Levinas and Derrida

- Habermas and Apel

- Hjelmslev and Chomsky

2) The Italian tradition in semiotics (12 hours):

- De Mauro between languages and language

- Garroni between semiotics and aesthetics

- Rossi-Landi: language, society, economics

3) Beauty and languages (12 hours):

- a linguistic approach to beauty

- the deconstruction from outside of beauty

- from the beauty to vacuity

4) Ludosophia: from linguistic games to philosophical games (3 hours)

None.

Knowledge and understanding

- knowledge of the main aspects of the philosophy of language;

- the ability to grasp the aesthetic and semiotic underpinnings of the philosophy of language.

Knowledge and understanding skills applied

- the student will manage to apply some concepts of the philosophy of language;

-  the student will manage to problematize the idea of beauty.   

Autonomy of judgment

- the student will be able to adopt an aesthetic and semiotic perspective in the philosophy of language.

Communication skills

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

Ability to learn

- once the module is over, the student will have gained acquaintance with the main notions of the philosophy of language in an aesthetic and semiotic key to autonomously deepen his/her knowledge about them;

- the student will be inclined to learn from an intermediate position between different perspectives and traditions.

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:

Diego Poli's lecture on the linguistic approach to beauty (3 hours of program's section 3)

Intercultural seminar on aesthetics of vacuity (6 hours of program's section 3)

Introduction to Ludosophia with Arcangela Miceli (program's section 4)

Teaching

Lectures with final discussion.

Innovative teaching methods

Flipped classroom during half of program's section 2.

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 1, 2, and 3 together with one of the books 4 and 5 (section A of course books) are to be considered compulsory.

Course books

A) Exam books:

1. M. Macchi, F. Repetto, Circolo Thoth, Le vie della filosofia. Storia della filosofia occidentale, vol. 3, 2024, Print On Demand: https://store.streetlib.com/novita/le-vie-della-filosofia-storia-della-filosofia-occidentale-volume-3-826724/

2. C. Caputo, Semiotica italiana. De Mauro, Garroni, Rossi-Landi, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2023, pp. 57-164

3. D. Poli, Bello, Venezia, Marcianum Press, 2024

4. F. Jullien, Quella strana idea di bello, Bologna, Il mulino, 2012

5. G. Pasqualotto, Estetica del vuoto: arte e meditazione nelle culture d'Oriente, Venezia, Marsilio, 1992 (later editions are accepted too)

B) Further readings:

C. Caputo, Con Hjelmslev. Filosofia e semiotica del linguaggio, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2023

C. Caputo, Nel segno. Percorsi di semiotica generale, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2022

E. Dell’Atti, Naturalmente artificiali. Capacità semiotica e spazio etico-politico nell’era del Capitalocene, Lago, Il Sileno Edizioni, 2023, Open Access: https://www.ilsileno.it/edizioni/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Naturalmente-artificiali-e-book.pdf

A. Miceli, Il metodo induttivo nella Ludosofia. L’esperienza filosofica del giocare, Roma, Aracne, 2024

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on some of the fundamental notions of the philosophy of language and its aesthetic and semiotic underpinnings. There is the possibility of sending a short paper at least a week before the chosen assessment date to have a sensibly shorter oral examination. The paper is meant to compare and contrast two of the books from 3 to 5 in section A and to follow the editing rules provided in Moodle. The ideal paper should correctly employ autonomous research of articles published in scientific journals and consult further readings (section B of the course books).

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.

Only exam books 1, 2, 3, and 6 together with one of the books 4 and 5 (section A of course books) are to be considered compulsory.

Course books

A) Exam books:

1. M. Macchi, F. Repetto, Circolo Thoth, Le vie della filosofia. Storia della filosofia occidentale, vol. 3, 2024, Print On Demand: https://store.streetlib.com/novita/le-vie-della-filosofia-storia-della-filosofia-occidentale-volume-3-826724/

2. C. Caputo, Semiotica italiana. De Mauro, Garroni, Rossi-Landi, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2023, pp. 57-164

3. D. Poli, Bello, Venezia, Marcianum Press, 2024

4. F. Jullien, Quella strana idea di bello, Bologna, Il mulino, 2012

5. G. Pasqualotto, Estetica del vuoto: arte e meditazione nelle culture d'Oriente, Venezia, Marsilio, 1992 (later editions are accepted too)

6. C. Caputo, Con Hjelmslev. Filosofia e semiotica del linguaggio, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2023

B) Further readings:

C. Caputo, Nel segno. Percorsi di semiotica generale, Lecce, Pensa MultiMedia, 2022

E. Dell’Atti, Naturalmente artificiali. Capacità semiotica e spazio etico-politico nell’era del Capitalocene, Lago, Il Sileno Edizioni, 2023, Open Access: https://www.ilsileno.it/edizioni/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Naturalmente-artificiali-e-book.pdf

A. Miceli, Il metodo induttivo nella Ludosofia. L’esperienza filosofica del giocare, Roma, Aracne, 2024

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on some of the fundamental notions of the philosophy of language and its aesthetic and semiotic underpinnings. There is the possibility of sending a short paper at least a week before the chosen assessment date to have a sensibly shorter oral examination. The paper is meant to compare and contrast two of the books from 3 to 5 in section A and to follow the editing rules provided in Moodle. The ideal paper should correctly employ autonomous research of articles published in scientific journals and consult further readings (section B of the course books).

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.