PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY II

The course is part of a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy. According to the goals of the degree program, its primary objective is to develop students' critical thinking skills, equipping them with suitable methodological tools to develop critical awareness concerning the past and the present of the cultural contexts in which they have to take moral responsibility and take on an active role.

The course will allow students to:
A. Gain an in-depth knowledge of basic philosophical terminology and understand the texts in which it is used;
B. Understand the discipline’s fundamental issues and paths both from a conceptual point of view and from a historical point of view, which means studying them intelligently, grasping their sense and articulation;
C. develop independent judgment for evaluating such issues;
D. be able to critically analyze the texts proposed by the teacher;
E. demonstrate good oral and written presentation skills, to be able to elaborate a philosophical argument using appropriate terms;
F. finally, because it is a moral discipline, students should be aware that this course is not aimed at mere acquisition of knowledge, but also at developing a philosophical practice, as was the case in antiquity. Therefore, the course focuses on the issue of the construction of the self in philosophy as a way of life and as a way of thinking.

The only prerequisite is to have a solid cultural foundation.

Dostoevsky and Tolstoy in Dialogue with Pascal

In 1876, Lev Tolstoy wrote to his aunt, Aleksandra Andreevna Tolstaya, expressing his admiration for Blaise Pascal’s Pensées: “what a marvelous book and what a marvelous life.” His encounter with Pascal came at a decisive moment in his spiritual journey. What struck Tolstoy most deeply was the phrase “One will die alone [On mourra seul]” (Lafuma 151), which he would echo repeatedly in his novels, short stories, and private notes. With Pascal, Tolstoy shares a view of the human being marked by restlessness and a constant search for meaning.
On the other hand, the radical contradictoriness of human nature as it emerges in the Pensées finds an even more intense literary and philosophical echo in the work of Tolstoy’s twin and rival – Fyodor Dostoevsky. Indeed, in his novels and short stories, this tension is embodied in characters who oscillate vertiginously between the highest aspirations and abysmal falls.
The course begins with Pascal’s conception of the human being and goes on to show how it is taken up and reworked by these two great Russian writers.

Reference Texts

B. Pascal, "Frammenti", tr. it. di E. Balmas, Rizzoli, Milano 1994.

The student must also bring to the exam one of the selected stories by Dostoevsky and Tolstoy listed below:

F. M. Dostoevskij, Memorie del sottosuolo;
F. M. Dostoevskij, Il sogno di un uomo ridicolo;
L. N. Tolstoj, La morte di Ivan Il'ic;
L. N. Tolstoj, Cholstomer

And finally, one of the following texts:

I. Adinolfi - G. Brianese, “Il paradiso sulla terra”. La religione di Dostoevskij e Tolstoj, il melangolo, Genova 2024;
A. Collini, Epifanie di morte. Tolstoj in dialogo con Pascal, l melangolo, Genova 2024.

The evaluation will be based on a oral exam. The assessment will concern the knowledge and the clear exposition of themes and problems of the course.

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

A. Scores in the range of 18-22 will be awarded to those who demonstrate:
• sufficient knowledge and understanding of the program.
B. Scores in the range of 23-26 will be awarded to those who demonstrate:
• a fair knowledge and understanding of the program.
C. Scores in the range of 27-30 will be awarded to those who demonstrate:
• good or excellent knowledge and understanding of the program.
D. Honors will be awarded to those who demonstrate:
• outstanding knowledge and understanding of the program.

The teaching is organized in a series of lectures.

Ca' Foscari applies 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.