PHILOSOPHY OF LITERATURE

The Origins of Philosophy of Literature

This course is an introduction to the philosophical and literary thought in their interconnections at the beginnins of philosophy of literature. The principal task is to focus on key concepts about the dialogue between literary and philosophical studies, dealing with the question of how fiction and philosophy are related to one another. The course will be devoted to exploring how literature addresses central aspects of philosophy.

Learning outcomes:

The course concernes itself with the comparison between fundamental problems of philosophy of literature.

The student, on successful completion of this module, will be able to:
1. critically engage with philosophical arguments, criticizing and organizing arguments
2. apply philosophical concepts to artistic issues
3. distinguish dimensions relevant to their own specialties

There are no prerequisites

The aim of the course is to offer an introduction to major problems at the intersection of philosophy and literature. Among the primary topics to be discussed will be the debate on realism and antirealism, drawing on a comparison between ordinary language and poetic language. The course is centered on three themes: metaphor, memory, and attention. We will examine philosophical analyses of literature, focusing on contemporary debates and consider their historical roots, with the aim of examining the implications for literary studies and criticism.

- Plato, "Phedro", "Symposium", "The Republic" (excerpts)

- Aristotle, "Poetics" (different editions)

- Hume, "Treatise of Human Nature"; "Essays. Moral, Political, and Literary" (a selection)

- Wittgenstein, "Personal Recollections", Blackwell

Oral examination based on problems considered during the course.

Method of instruction: the main teaching methods of the course are the lecture, the lecture-discussion, and the seminar. Every student will be encouraged to participate in the discussion of the materials (small group seminars and presentations).

Italian

Additional readings may be found online. I will make them electronically available (Moodle material).

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