Course Topics
- The inception of thinking and metaphysics; - the scope of a metaphysical position; - philosophy as phenomenology; - the problem and the changing notions of truth; - the essence of man; - the structure of scientific knowledge; - the relation of philosophy, science and art; - fundamental ethics and original economics; - the transition from ancient to modern philosophy; - the problem of method.

Propaedeutic courses
None

Teaching format
Mixed lecture and seminar style. Students are required to prepare required readings and encouraged to participate in class discussions.

Educational objectives
ILO (Intended Learning Outcomes) ILO 1 Knowledge and understanding ILO 1.1 diachronic textual knowledge and hermeneutic tools for understanding the phenomenon of human existence in the context of the institution of the polis; ILO 1.2 knowledge of a selection of basic philosophical positions and tools of theoretical analysis for the formation of an autonomous capacity for conceptualisation and ethical-philosophical diagnosis of phenomena ILO 1.3 knowledge of a selection of basic philosophical positions and tools of theoretical analysis for understanding the fundamental institutions of western humanity; ILO 2 Ability to apply knowledge and understanding ILO 2.1 ability to detach oneself from the operational and contingency planes, and their respective forms of knowledge, in favour of the plane on which meaning is generated and the knowledge that thematises it in a foundational perspective ILO 2.2 ability to discern between a factual cause of a fact and the origin or principle of a phenomenon; ILO 2.3 ability to appreciate the linguistic dimension, and the difference between languages, as a sphere of elaboration of philosophical thought; ILO 2.4. ability to assume an autonomous cognitive and critical demeanour, supported by an adequate capacity for conceptualisation on the methodological, theoretical and ethical levels; ILO 2.5 ability to read and interpret textual examples from the philosophical tradition and to support the founding intent of its reflections; ILO 2.6 ability to effectively formulate a concept or argument in a multilingual context, characterised by translation and dialogue between languages ILO 3 Making judgements ILO 3.1 Acquisition of the capacity for judgement and methodological tools useful for the critical analysis of data, sources, assumptions and implications of scientific practice, of the political, ethical and legal context within which economic phenomena are set and with which they interact ILO 4 Communication skills ILO 4.1 Fluency (oral and written) in Italian, German and English, including translation between these languages. Intercultural competence. Conceptual awareness, ability to summarise and express oneself in writing, particularly in the drafting of scientific or science-based documents ILO 5 Learning skills ILO 5.1 Promotion of critical thinking and analytical skills to focus on complex problems in their long-term dynamics and the variety of their implications, including ethical ones

Additional educational objectives and learning outcomes
ILO 4.2 Students are confronted with the specific requirements of written philosophical communication (essay writing). ILO 5.2 written expression of autonomous thinking.

Assessment
A. Modality “attending”: Assessment 1: Open-book written final exam with short questions on two levels: one designed to check knowledge and understanding in terms of indicated objectives, the other designed to verify the capacity for applying this knowledge and this understanding in reasoning (ILOs 1.1–1.3, 2.1–2.5, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1). Assessment 2: Take home essay on one of a series of suggested or on a freely chosen topic. This exercise requires students to exhibit the capacity for unfolding philosophical thinking in a more extended form, displaying the acquired ability to distinguish between factual-ontic description and merely formal-logical reasoning, on the one hand, and ontological interrogation on the other (ILOs 2.6, 4.2, 5.2). B. Modality “non-attending”: Closed-book written final exam on the entire material covered during the course (= assessment 3) (ILOs 1–3, 4.1, 5).

Evaluation criteria
Assessment 1 counts for 70% of the final mark. Assessment 2 counts for the remaining 30%. Assessment 3 carries 100% of the mark. Relevant for assessments 1 and 3: clarity, coherence and exhaustiveness of answers; capacity for arguing straight to the point, without introducing elements that are alien to what is being asked. Relevant for assessment 2: the capacity for posing a genuinely philosophical question and for unfolding autonomous philosophical reasoning; proven effort of elaborating a clear and formally correct text.

Required readings

- Selected chapters from I. De Gennaro, Principles of Philosophy. A Phenomenological Approach, Freiburg: Karl Alber Verlag, 2019.

- Extracts from classical texts and other relevant readings made available in the Reserve collection and/or handed out in class.

Supplementary readings

- Plato, The Republic (any edition)

Further information
Audio recordings of classes will be made available via the Reserve collection.