MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY

This course belongs to the broader group of activities in History of Philosophy. As such, it aims at providing students with knowledge and skills concerning: intellectual practices, texts, authors, arguments, and technical terminology of recognised philosophical traditions. It also contributes more broadly to the multi- and interdisciplinary formation envisaged by the PISE degree by developing the students' deeper and critical knowledge of the history and culture of different countries (especially in the Mediterranea area, between the 4th and the 15th century, and across various languages and religions).

The aim of the course is to acquire accessible but non-superficial knowledge of some key medieval thinkers and to analyse a major philosophical problem of special interest for the degree perspective. At the end of the course, the student will have acquired a deeper perspective on a key moment in European history and culture; he or she will have strenghten his or her technical philosophical language and reasoning skills, and will have learned to understand texts and grasp problems coming from a different time and cultural background.

Although there is no formal prerequisite, some familiarity with philosophy more generally, and with ancient philosophy more specifically, is highly recommended.

This is an introduction to medieval philosophy and medieval thinkers (with reference to the notion of "Long Middle Ages", c. 200-1700), across various linguistic and religious backgrounds in the Mediterranean area (Christian, Jewish and Muslim authors writing in Greek, Latin, Arabic, Hebrew). In particular, we will study what John Marenbon has recently called "The Problem of Paganism" - namely, a "tension" inherent in medieval philosophy between the fact that certain authors (including philosophers from antiquity) were admired and revered as wise and virtuous, and yet the fact that such authors belonged to a different religion and were therefore, for medieval thinkers, "pagans". The topic allows to consider how ancient philosophy developed in the new medieval contexts, and to address encouters of different faiths and cultural backgrounds. We will consider how the Problem of Paganism emerges and develops, and the main strategies and solutions that were put in place for addressing it, some of which challenged received views of the Middle Ages.

J. Marenbon, Pagans and Philosophers. The Problem of Paganism from Augustine to Leibniz, Princeton University Press, Princeton 2015.

Further bibliography may be mentioned during classes.

A written exam in which students will be asked to discuss three different topics/authors from those addressed in the syllabus.

Classes will provide all the background which is necessary to grasp the problem and the material to study. We will also present and discuss critically some of the key authors to be studied, also with reference (when relevant) to the authors' own texts. Classes are also intended as an occasion for students to contribute directly and discuss the problem on the basis of their own reading of the material in the syllabus.

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