HISTORY OF HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PHILOSOPHY - I

The course is part of the more general domain of the history of philosophy. It is characterized by the particular evidence it gives to the schools of thought of the Hellenistic period and to the re-elaboration in the Roman world of Greek thought and doctrines.
Teaching will proceed according to the following path:
A) Probing, in a theoretic-problematic way, some topics of of hellenistic and Roman philosophy
B) Setting up of a scientifically correct and efficacious survey method.
C) Perfecting of the dialectical technique
D) Reading of texts in their original language and in translation

The student will master the research tools in the historical-philosophical field and will reach a thorough knowledge of the key points of the Hellenistic, Roman and late ancient philosophical tradition.
He will demonstrate to be able to reflect on the topics of ancient thought also in reference to the contemporary world.

A basic knowledge of the History of Ancient Philosophy is required.
A basic knowledge of classical languages is also desirable.
It is not necessary to have already given the examination of "Greek origins of the European philosophical tradition".

The Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy.
Stoicism in Greece and in Rom.
The Last Seneca: Letters to Lucilius, Books XIX-XX

A) - S. Maso, Lingua philosophica Graeca, Milano : Mimesis
B) - S. Maso, Filosofia a Roma. Dalla riflessione sui principi all’arte della vita, Roma : Carocci
C) - Seneca, Lettere a Lucilio, con testo a fronte, a cura di C. Barone, Milano : Garzanti

D) Choice of two essays:

- M. Cassan, Le dinamiche dell’anima instabile, in Animus. Studio sulla psicologia di Seneca, Venezia : Edizioni Ca’Foscari 2022, pp. 105-143.
- C. Gill, Seneca and selfhood: integration and disintegration, in Seneca and the Self, S. Bartsch & S. Wray (eds.), Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 2009, pp. 65-83
- E. Asmis, Seneca’s Originality, in The Cambridge Companion to Seneca, S. Bartsch & A. Schiesaro (eds.), Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 2015, pp. 224-238
- A. Setaioli, Seneca e la bellezza della natura, in “Vita latina”, 195-196 (2017), pp. 169-188
- S. Maso, ‘Mentes caecus instiget furor’: ‘akrasia’ in Seneca?, in La volontarietà dell’azione tra Antichità e Medioevo, F. De Luise e I. Zavattero (a cura di), Trento : Università degli studi di Trento, 2019, pp. 239-262.
- Ch. Torre, Seneca tragico vs. Seneca Filosofo. Nuovi approcci a una vecchia querelle, in A. Costazza (a cura di), La filosofia a teatro, Milano : Istit. Ed. Universitario Cisalpino, 2009, pp. 41-62
- M. Graver, Seneca and the contemplatio veri. ‘De otio’ and the ‘Epistulae morales’, in Theoria, Praxis and the Contemplative Life after Plato and Aristotle, Th. Bénathouïl & M. Bonazzi (eds.), Leiden-Boston : Brill, pp. 76-100.
- M. Roller, Precept(or) and Example in Seneca, in Roman Reflections, G.D. Williams and K. Volk, Oxford : Oxford University Press 2016, pp. 129-156.

E) Choice of one of these proposals:

1) B. Inwood, Reading Seneca. Stoic Philosophy at Rome, Oxford : Clarendon Press 2008:
Ch. 5: The Will in Seneca
Ch. 11: Seneca on Freedom and Autonomy
Or:

2) S. Maso, Lo sguardo della verità. Cinque studi su Seneca, Padova : Il Poligrafo 1999
Cap. 1: La trasparenza della verità
Cap. 2: Maiores in Seneca
Cap. 4: Sibi fidere. Seneca tra otium e constantia

The student has to show a detailed knowledge of the historical period concerning Hellenistic, Roman, and Late Antiquity Philosophy.
A deep knowledge of the main philosophical topics is required. His preparation will be tested through an oral interview and the discussion of a term paper.

The course is developed according to a historical and chronological, and thematic perspective too.
Occasional participation to the conferences of Ca' Foscari's visiting professors is scheduled.
We practice a close analysis of some classical texts.

Italian

In connection with the course will be scheduled a few days of study in which participants include researchers from European universities.
During the course lectures will be given prompt notice of this.
The course is developed in two sections; the second one is structured in a seminar way.

For more information, www.philosophia-ve.it/universita

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.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development