HISTORICAL EPISTEMOLOGY

A general introduction to historical epistemology and reading of a classic.

Can we understand science in historical terms? Can we address the history of science in philosophical terms? This is the dual task of historical epistemology. This class aims to introduce to the students the main themes and the most significant currents of historical epistemology.

Students will be introduced to a series of philosophical texts which will familiarize him or her with the main authors as well as with the problems and perspectives that have been developed within the historical-epistemological debates.

The specific focus of this year will be communicated in due time.

• To introduce students to the main currents and problems of historical epistemology, seen as the last great attempt to organically connect history of science and philosophy of science.
• To address crucial themes of historical epistemology, namely the philosophical and cultural significance of the history of scientific thought and the relationship between abstract universality and the historicity of science.
• To become acquainted with key thinkers and sources of historical and political epistemology.
• To become capable of analyzing and discussing philosophical sources and critically interpret them.

• Enthusiasm and readiness to engage with challenging philosophical readings.
• A fair knowledge of English, for certain didactic materials as well as in case of meeting with foreign scholars in some of the classes.

This class is divided into two parts:

1. a general introduction to the main themes and authors of historical epistemology (a historical-theoretical approach to science that brings together its history of science and the philosophy of science)
2. a reflection on the science-philosophy-history nexus on the basis of a series of readings of reference texts

Massimiliano Badino, Gerardo Ienna e Pietro Daniel Omodeo, Epistemologia storica: Correnti, temi e problemi (Roma: Carocci, 2022) and other texts, relative to Italian pathways to historical epistemology, as indicated in the Italian version of the syllabus.

The students' preparation will be verified through interaction with students during the course and through a final oral exam centered on the course texts.

The teaching will be divided
• in a part of frontal teaching, in which the professor will introduce students to the topics of the course,
• and in a dialogic-seminar part, in which students will interact with their classmates and the professor on the basis of texts they have been assigned and they have to read in preparation for the lessons.

Italian

oral