2014/2015

2015/2016

DM270

M-FIL/07 (HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY)

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

CLASSICAL AND ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

PERCORSO COMUNE

2°

1st semester (21/09/2015 - 23/12/2015)

6

36 lesson hours

ITALIAN

ORAL TEST

GASTALDI SILVIA (titolare) - 12 ECTS

It is important that all students know, at least in broad outline, the major historical events of the period between the birth of the polis and the end of the Roman Empire, in order to place the authors and philosophical movements in their chronological context.

Part one:
This part of the course aims at introducing some of the most important theoretical themes and of the main historical traditions of the History of Ancient Philosophy.

Part One

Introduction to the history of ancient philosophy

Lectures will introduce students to main authors and major philosophical movements that characterize the development of ancient thought, from its origins to Neoplatonism. Lectures will be accompanied by the reading of passages from the most important philosophical texts.

Part Two

The book 1 of Aristotle's Metaphysics.

In this book Aristotle discusses nature,origins and development of wisdom (sophia), namely philosophical knowledge, which he defines as knowledge of the first causes. Particular attention will be paid to the way in which Aristotle organizes his review of the opinions of his predecessors.

Lectures
Questions and comments are welcome.

Part one

G. Cambiano - M. Mori, Tempi del pensiero. Storia e antologia della filosofia, Laterza, vol. I, pp. 1 – 326.

In addition to the study of this part of the book, a good knowledge of the texts contained in the anthological part of the same volume, read and commented on in class, is requested. The full list of these passages will be distributed during the course.
Students not attending will follow the same program and have to ask the teacher the list of the texts analysed during the course.

Part two

Text:
Aristotele, Metafisica, Libro A, a cura di R. L. Cardullo, Carocci.

For a general overview, a book to be chosen from:
P. Donini, Metafisica: Introduzione alla lettura, Carocci;
E. Berti, Struttura e significato della Metafisica di Aristotele, EDUSC.

Critical Essays:
B. Centrone, La testimonianza aristotelica sui principi pitagorici in Metaphysica Alpha,
in R. L. Cardullo, Il libro Alpha della Metafisica di Aristotele. Catania CUEMC, 2009, pp, 21-36,
In the same book:
C. Rossitto, Il duplice carattere della critica aristotelica a Empedocle e Anassagora in Metafisica A, pp. 55-76.
C. Natali, Scienza dell'universale e scienza delle cause in Aristotele Metaph. Alpha, pp. 115-132.

Concerning the first part of the course, students have to take a written examination. Only those who pass this written test can proceed to the oral examination (second part of the course). Written test involves the discussion of three subjects to be completed in three hours.

Concerning the second part of the course, students will take an oral examination on the topics analysed in the lectures.

Students who can not attend classes are invited to contact the teacher.