HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL POLITICAL THOUGHT

The course represents a moment of specialist reflection - as in the aim of a master’s
degree course - on themes and authors of medieval political philosophy, which are
relevant for the history of western thought.

It is expected that who is enrolled in the course will have at the end a basic knowledge of
medieval political thought and a thorough knowledge of topics and authors covered in a
monographic way, on the basis of the texts mentioned in the program.

No prerequisite is required.

Medieval (and modern) authors have pondered over the sense of the Fall of Adam and
Eve and over the consequences of the original sin. In our course we will focus on the
political consequences of the sin and on the counterfactual question expressed by many
authors: “What would have happened to the power and politics if Adam and Eve wouldn’t
have fallen?” As every counterfactual, the question interrogates the reality.

Pay attention: this bibliography is provisional. The final bibliography will be provided about a
month before the beginning of the course.
For the introduction to the political thought one must study: G. Briguglia, Il pensiero politico
medievale, Einaudi 2018.
For the monographic part the reference text is: G. Briguglia, Stato d'innocenza. Adamo,
Eva e la filosofia politica medievale, Carocci 2017.
The medieval texts to study will be provided by the professor or indicated about a month
before the beginning of the course (based on their availability, not always simple)

The final exam is a normal oral test based on the course’s topics and on the knowledge of
the ideas and the information of the texts in the program, that should be studied in depth,
not just read.

The course develops as the classic frontal teaching, that includes also the reading and
comment on the texts. Anyway, active participation of the students that will be present in
the class, will be encouraged, stimulating questions and reflections.

Italian

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