PHILOSOPHY

The course addresses three of the most fundamental concepts of philosophical thinking: truth, justice, and knowledge.
The different meanings of such notions are introduced using passages from philosophical classics, such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hobbes and Nietzsche.
The course introduces students to the complex relationship between the familiar use of such notions in quotidian and ordinary contexts, and their rigorous, technical, or even speculative use in philosophy, which echoes their possible meanings in scientific, political, juridical, or religious contexts.
The course uses some of the very texts in which the most classic formulations of these notions are found.

The expected oucome is the ability to recognise and understand classic philosophical a) concepts, b) claims, and c) arguments, as well as to appreciate their relevance in different academic fields of study.

Curiosity and the ability to recognise and discuss one's assumptions about truth, justice and knowledge.

Contents
1- Truth
Its relation with other notions
References: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Nietzsche
Plato: truth and appearance
Aristotle: truth and modality
Nietzsche: truth and cowardice
2- Justice
Its relationship with fairness, right, nature, convention.
References: Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Nietzsche
Plato: justice and fairness
Hobbes: natural and conventional justice
3- Knowledge
Its relation with evidence, certainty, doubt, reason.
References: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes
Plato: knowledge and perception, knowledge and memory
Descartes: knowledge and doubt, knowledge and received views

ALL THESE TEXTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THE COURSE IN STANDARD ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS.
Descartes, Metaphysical Meditations, 1-2
Hobbes, Leviathan, XIII-XV
Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (Ch. V)
Plato, Gorgias
Plato, Meno (selected passages)
Plato, Republic, books 1 and 2

Suggested reading: Williamson, Timothy, Tetralogue: I'm Right, You're Wrong, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2015

1) Presentation about an assigned text.
2) Final written test about the topics and texts addressed during the course.

Lessons
Seminars about specific texts
Presentations by students.

English

written and 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