THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY

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

The philosophical-theoretical approach aims at at least two aims:
(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 attendants already have the historiographic, terminological and conceptual bases to attend it.

This course tries to answer a question of fundamental importance: what is the social world? This question will be approached by drawing on the conceptual resource offered by the phenomenological tradition. In particular, the lectures will focus on the classical text by Alfred Schutz and Thomas Luckmann "The Structures of the Life-World", and on a number of contemporary articles on the phenomenology of the social world and on the so-called phenomenology of the "we".

Alfred Schutz and Thomas Luckmann, "The structures of the Life-World", Northwestern University Press 1973

Some chapters of:

Thomas J. Spiegel (ed.), "Social Ontology and Phenomenology", Routledge 2026
Thomas Szanto and Dermot Moran (eds.), "Phenomenology of Sociality", Routledge 2016
Dan Zahavi, "Being We: Phenomenological Contributions to Social Ontology" Oxford University Press 2025

The exam consists of a written test with open questions.
Students are advised to remember the following:
when you are already registered for an exam session and, for any reason, you cannot take the exam, you must notify the teacher in advance via email.

written

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

A. Scores in the range of 18-22 will be assigned for:
- Sufficient knowledge of the textbooks and related topics
- Limited ability to use data and form independent judgments
- Sufficient communication skills.

B. Scores in the range of 23-26 will be assigned for:
- Fair knowledge of the textbooks and related topics
- Fair ability to use data and form independent judgments
- Fair communication skills.

C. Scores in the range of 27-30 will be assigned for:
- Good or excellent knowledge of the textbooks and related topics
- Good or excellent ability to use data and form independent judgments
- Fully appropriate communication skills.

D. The “laude” will be awarded to students with excellent knowledge and comprehension of the textbooks and related topics.

While relying primarily on lectures, the instructor will aim to foster a broad and direct dialogue with attending students.
The assigned texts will be read and discussed directly in class.

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.