PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1

This course will attempt to highlight the philosophical dimension of one of the main texts of philosophical modernity: Pascal's Pensées. Through this text it will also explore other places in Pascal's work and critically introduce many themes of the mathematical, physical and theological culture of western modernity.

The fundamental objectives that the course pursues are:
(a) To introduce students to the critical reading of an incomplete, complex and richly implied text - such as Pascaì's Pensées -, giving order to its properly philosophical contents.
(b) To introduce students to the appreciation of Pascal's particular aptitude for combining the theoretical, mathematical, experimental and theological dimensions of human thought.

No special prerequisites are required.

Title: The oppositional polarities of Pascalian anthropology in the Pensées.
1. Pascal in the French culture of his time (Montaigne, Descartes, Mersenne, Port-Royal).
2. Nature and structure of the Pensées.
3. Misery and greatness of the human being. The three ‘orders’ of the real.
4. Finite and infinite in nature, mathematical entities and the human being. The types of the infinite.
5. The ego and the dynamics of desire.
6. Pascal's approach to the themes of metaphysics.
7. The argument of the Pari before Pascal and in Pascal.
8. The mathematical and logical structure of the Pari and its existential significance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE EXAM
1. Pascal, Pensieri (an edition fallowing CHEVALIER numbering).
2. Lecture notes by professor.
3. Introduction to philosophy, notes by Professor.
Texts 2 and 3 will be provided by the Professor during the course.

1. For those who have the 12 cfu exam in their study plan, there will be a single exam at the conclusion of the entire lecture series (60 hours).
2. For those who have the 6 cfu exam in their study plan, the exam will take place at the end of the first lecture cycle (30 hours).
In both cases, the examination will be conducted in oral form.
In case 2. the expected duration is about 30 minutes. One question will concern the exposition of an important paragraph from Pascal's text. Two others will cover theoretical topics (finite.infinity; misery-greatness; the Pari; etc.).
Assessment will take into account the ability to respond by making relevant references to the texts of Pascal; lexical accuracy; argumentative coherence.

oral

Those who answer two thirds of the questions in a relevant manner will be rated sufficient.

The course will based on head-on lectures, enhancing students’ contribution.

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.