PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICS OF LIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

This class in the history of philosophy and science studies addresses the entangled philosophical and political problems underlying the current debates on climate change and the anthropic transformation of the earth-system, as discussed in connection with the possible introduction of a new periodization category in geology, ‘Anthropocene’. This is referred to a geological epoch marked by the massive transformation of the earthly system as a consequence of the industrial unfolding of the technical capacities of homo sapiens. The debates on this problematic have reached far beyond specialists’ discussions and raise fundamental questions about the interrelation between humankind and the world, between human agency and geological history as well as between the natural sciences, technology and the humanities.

Objectives

• To introduce students to a philosophical approach to environmental studies.
• To address crucial themes of environmental philosophy, specifically the problem of science, technology and society in the age of Anthropocene.
• To become acquainted with key thinkers and sources of historical and political epistemology of relevance to critically think of today’s challenges.
• To become capable of analyzing and discussing philosophical sources and critically interpret them.

• Enthusiasm and readiness to engage with challenging historical and philosophical discussions and readings;
• Knowledge of English in order to read the materials and participate in the discussion.

This class is divided into two parts:
1. a general introduction to the main themes of environmental philosophy in the age of Anthropocene;
2. a dialogical reflection on environmental philosophy on the basis of assigned readings.

• A series of texts in environmental philosophy and environmental politics in the age of Anthropocene (shared through moodle)
• Non-mandatory texts include:
- Pietro Daniel Omodeo, Political Epistemology: The Problem of Ideology in Science Studies (Dordrecht: Springer, 2019);
- Jürgen Renn, The Evolution of Knowledge: Rethinking Science for the Anthropocene (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020).

The students’ preparation will be verified through their active participation in the classes, their exchange with other students in the seminar parts of course and a final oral exam, in which n the course texts and topics will be discussed.

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.

Inglese

Ca’ Foscari applica la Legge Italiana (Legge 17/1999; Legge 170/2010) per i servizi di supporto e di accomodamento disponibili agli studenti con disabilità o con disturbi specifici dell’apprendimento. Se hai una disabilità motoria, visiva, dell’udito o altre disabilità (Legge 17/1999) o un disturbo specifico dell’apprendimento (Legge 170/2010) e richiedi supporto (assistenza in aula, ausili tecnologici per lo svolgimento di esami o esami individualizzati, materiale in formato accessibile, recupero appunti, tutorato specialistico a supporto dello studio, interpreti o altro) contatta l’ufficio Disabilità e DSA disabilita@unive.it.

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