THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY

In philosophical studies Theoretical Philosophy is a traditionally basic discipline. It aims to highlight the fundamental elements of the issues, without limiting itself to analytical decomposition. Within the PISE this teaching can offer those basic grammatical coordinates that have marked the entire Western philosophical tradition.

The philosophical-theoretical approach aims at at least two objectives:
(1) learn to read a classic text with the necessary historiographic awareness and the necessary critical sense of the multiplicity of meanings;
(2) open up the students' cultural horizon in order for them to learn how not to absolutize the present and not to take dominant interpretations as the only possible ones.

As this course is intended for third-year students, it is assumed that the students already have the historiographic, terminological and conceptual bases to attend the course.

Plato's Republic.
By placing the question 'what is justice?' in the foreground, Socrates does not simply let emerge the scientific rigor of philosophy, but he also puts the latter in a dramatic contrast with the political-social game of current opinions.
Justice as harmony of the parts that make up the whole.
As Martin Heidegger says in "Contributions to philosophy", «Plato was never 'idealist', but, rather, 'realist'». How is it possible that, by contrast, modernity conceives a just state as an utopia or an unreal ideal?

Plato, “The Republic”, translated by Desmond Lee, Penguin Classics, London 1955/2003 or translated by Allan Bloom – the latter is available on-line.

Hannah Arendt, “Socrates”, in Id., “The Promise of Politics”, Schocken Books, New York 2005, pp. 5-39 [available on Moodle];

R. Kraut (edited by), “Plato’s Republic. Critical Essays”, Rowman & Littlefield, New York-Oxford 1997, only the following chapters: 3 (Taylor), 4 (Williams), 9 (Annas); BAUM 184 KRAUR P

Karl Popper, “The Open Society and Its Enemies, Volume One: The Spell of Plato”, only the Chapter n. 6: “Totalitarian Justice”, Routledge, London 1945/2005, pp. 91-126; BAUM 193 POPPK OPE 1

The exam consists of a written test with open questions. In the maximum time of two hours students are asked to illustrate and comment on some (four or five) passages taken from the texts in the program.

Lectures will give space to the direct reading of texts, projected on screen, and to a wide interlocution with the students.

English

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion

Ca' Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development