HISTORY OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY

The course is part of the Moral Philosophy subject field. Philosophical Anthropology does not deal with the specific or empirical investigations of human nature, but rather addresses the issue of what characterizes human beings as such. It seeks to understand the depictions and concepts through which human beings have always sought to grasp and define their difference, as individuals and as a species, in different eras and civilizations, as well as in relation to the environment, to other species, to the material and cultural relationships existing within various societies and forms of government which have been created, or could be established in the future.
Hence, investigating the origin and development of the self is essential in order to fully understand oneself and to address some key ethical issues, such as the recognition of, and respect for what is different, the integration of individuals in society and in cross culture. Indeed, value judgments governing human actions are always formulated (consciously or unconsciously) from a particular anthropological point of view.

Regular attendance and diligent individual study 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 to study 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, in order 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.

Title: In front of Evil. Jewish female Thought in the Twentieth Century Storm.

The first fifty years of the twentieth century are to be counted among the darkest that humanity has known, marked by two world wars and all forms of moral evil: from political hatred to racial persecution and mass extermination. It is no coincidence that in those years the reflection on evil of some great Jewish thinkers has reached a clarity and depth previously unknown.
The course will examine the moral thought of Hannah Arendt, Simone Weil, Etty Hillesum.

Notes from the course should be integrated with two of the following works:

Hannah Arendt, La banalità del male. Eichmann a Gerusalemme, tr. it. di P. Bernardini, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1992;
Simone Weil, La rivelazione greca, tr. it. di M. C. Sala, Adelphi, Milano 2014;
Simone Weil, Attesa di Dio, tr. it. di M. C. Sala, Adelphi, Milano 2008;
Etty Hillesum, Diario, tr. it. di C. Passanti e T. Montone, Adelphi, Milano 2012;
Etty Hillesum, Lettere 1941-1943, tr. it. di C. Passanti, T. Montone e A. Vigliani. Cura editoriale di R. Cazzola e di C. Di Palermo, Adelphi, Milano 2013.

Further reading:
Students who are not able to attend should also read:
I. Adinolfi (a cura di), Dopo la Shoah. Un nuovo inizio per il pensiero, Roma, Carocci, 2011.

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.

The teaching is organized in a series of lectures.

Italian

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.

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