PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY I

The course is part of the formative activities of Philosophy and of Philosophy and Human Sciences of the 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 deeply understand the human being. To this end, it focuses not on specific or empirical aspects of human existence, but on what defines man as such, exploring the representations and concepts through which he has grasped and understood himself, both as an individual and as a species, throughout history and across different epochs, concerning the environment, and within the material and cultural relationships of diverse societies. Consequently, significant emphasis is placed on analyzing historical dynamics, highlighting how these have influenced the conception of man and his place in the world. The goal is to provide students not only with a solid theoretical and methodological foundation but also with the tools necessary to apply this knowledge to understand the complex dynamics of contemporary society, enabling them to become critical and aware thinkers capable of confronting the challenges of the modern world with a profound understanding of the historical and philosophical roots of human issues.

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.

The philosophical conception of man and the philosophy of history in the work of Kierkegaard

“A human being’s eternal dignity lies precisely in this, that he can gain a history. The divine in him lies in this, that he himself, if he so chooses, can give this history continuity, because it gains that, not when it is a summary of what has taken place or has happened to me, but only when it is my personal deed in such a way that even that which has happened to me is transformed and transferred from necessity to freedom” (S. Kierkegaard, Either/Or).
Freedom of choice is a central category in Søren Kierkegaard's thought, both for his conception of man and for his philosophy of history. It is treated in different ways in the three phases of existence with which the Danish philosopher structures human experience. Freedom is denied by the aesthete in the name of destiny, which defies every human design; it is affirmed by the ethicist as a necessity in the moral development of the self and its projection in the world; it is problematized by the Christian in the dialectic of faith that corresponds to a God active in history and the world, which ultimately points beyond history and the world.

Students should choose two of the following Kierkegaard’s works:

S. Kierkegaard, Il riflesso del tragico antico nel tragico moderno, tr. it. di L. Liva, il melangolo, Genova 2012;
S. Kierkegaard, L’equilibrio tra l’estetico e l’etico nell’elaborazione della personalità, in Enten-Eller. Un frammento di vita, tomo V, tr. it. di A. Cortese, Adelphi, Milano 1989;
S. Kierkegaard, Timore e tremore, tr. it. di C. Fabro, BUR, Milano 1998;
S. Kierkegaard, Briciole filosofiche, tr. it. di U. Regina, Morcelliana, Brescia 2012.

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

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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