Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy examines the discipline through history, art, Western and Eastern models, critical thinking, and topics within the Italian context.

3 semester credits. This course tackles the puzzling questions raised by the rapid advancements of Artificial Intelligence. The course critically analyzes the theories of relevant philosophers, and it explores notions of consciousness, free will, and the very nature of intelligence itself, while evaluating the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI in warfare, job displacement, and human augmentation. Students will investigate the possibility of AI achieving personhood and ponder the meaning of creativity in an age of machine-generated content. The course comprises debates, thought experiments, and critical analysis of real-world scenarios, with the aim of challenging assumptions and questioning the future of humanity alongside intelligent machines.

3 semester credits. This is course is a survey study of the major Greek philosophers and schools from sixth to third century BC. The emphasis will be on the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Special attention will be given to the influence these philosophers have had on the history of Western thought, specifically early Christian and Medieval, and the interest in Neoplatonic philosophy that characterized the intellectual climate of Renaissance Italy.

3 semester credits. This course examines the ethics of medical practices and issues in contemporary society. Coursework will pose questions regarding areas that affect human life and death. Topics include practices such as euthanasia, birth control and abortion, cloning, genetic engineering, and biomedical research. Students will analyze the ethical nature of covered practices, how they affect humans on individual and social scales, and the relationship between patients and physicians and medical structures in terms of information, consent, and responsibility. Case studies from local European as well as non-European countries will be closely considered for discussion and study.

3 semester credits. The aim of this course is to introduce fundamental moral theories and standards and to encourage their application - through mechanisms of moral reflection and judgment - to ethical problems arising throughout the world. The course is articulated through a large number and variety of studies of moral cases drawn from various parts of the world that will require students to consider prescriptive moral theories. The study of matters such as the French legislation against veils in schools, reproductive rights in Italy, U.S. drug laws, and Iranian censorship vs. the value of liberty will inevitably result in meta-ethical reflections in terms of thinking about the nature of morality and the limits of moral judgment.

3 semester credits. Starting from the dichotomy of logos-mythos in classical antiquity, this course will explore the evolution of philosophical thought in early modern Italy and its unique richness of trends: Christianity, Platonism, Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism, Hermeticism, and magic. The new vision of man and the universe, as well as the investigation of nature and the individual's cognition potential, addressed in connection with the progress of science, will be illustrated by the contributions of Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, Pietro Pomponazzi, Agostino Nifo, Leonardo da Vinci, Giordano Bruno, and Galileo Galilei. The course includes field visits to locations such as the Secret Rooms and the Room of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio, and a visit to the Museum of the History of Science.

3 semester credits. This course will introduce students to the world of walking as an artistic, philosophical, political, literary, inspirational - as well as physical - experience. While exploring different types of walking, the concept of "wanderlust" will also be analyzed and discussed from both an anthropological and philosophical perspective, to provide students with a thorough overview of the traveling and walking experience both in natural and urban landscapes. Different types of walking activities will be an integral component of the course, allowing students to reflect upon walking as an act of desire, escape, imagination, freedom, rebellion, and well-being. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students' academic and personal enrichment.

3 semester credits. This interdisciplinary course helps students from all areas of study to develop their critical thinking skills. The principles of reasoning, analysis, logic, and rhetoric will be introduced in both ancient and modern contexts during lectures. Students will be asked to participate in classroom exercises, examine arguments from both sides, learn to better analyze materials and therefore acquire a more thorough analysis of evidence, and apply these concepts to decision-making situations. The aim of the course is to arrive at a real-life application of these practical techniques that are relevant to all individuals, from the managerial level for professionals to everyday contexts.

3 semester credits. This course is a survey of the different religions and philosophical systems of India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana), Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. The course will examine a significant number of specific themes and concepts such as wisdom, virtue, liberation, enlightenment, yogic discipline, meditation, guru devotion, and ethical behaviour. Excerpts from important texts of covered traditions will be analyzed including The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching, The Dhammapada, and The Confucian Canon. The teachings and writings of influential contemporary spiritual leaders will also be discussed.

3 semester credits. The genius of Leonardo Da Vinci is boundless and this course introduces students to his universal genius through an overview of his life, art, and his remarkable approach to the exploration of nature. Centuries before the scientific method of investigation became a standard for philosophers and scientists, Leonardo had already developed the essential characteristics that are still a part of the methodology today. Yet, his experiential and interdisciplinary approach to the world around him is still a mystery that continues to inspire current generations with the challenge to unveil the layers of his creative powers. In this course, students will have the opportunity to investigate Leonardo’s intellectual evolution, his interest in botanical studies, and his quest to discover the secrets of nature that allowed him to become a master and inspiration of Renaissance art. Leonardo’s unique path will be analyzed through a focus on his youth in Florence, his artistic career in Milan and France and the legacy of his masters, with investigation of his anatomical dissections and the inventions of extraordinary machines, as well as his approach to the mysteries of alchemy and some of his lesser-known interests. Not everybody knows that Leonardo’s genius also involved the study of table manners, the creation of kitchen utensils, and the planning of pioneering kitchen devices that will also be experimented in this course. Discussions on Leonardo’s various studies and their outcomes, guided visits in locations related to his artistic and scientific vocation, field learning activities, and a series of practical workshops on recipes written and inspired by Leonardo’s eclecticism will provide the tools to construct a comprehensive understanding of the man behind the genius. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

3 semester credits. This course focuses on performance art, with particular emphasis on the role and use of one’s mind and body during performance. Students will learn about the history of the discipline and pioneers in the field. They will also be encouraged to engage in, produce, and critique their own performances. This course thus relies on an approach which merges theory and practice to generate awareness, mindfulness, and creativity. The mind and body are framed as interlinking components, which are to be comprehended and directed in order to create art. Students will gain knowledge about the roles that factors such as time, space, place, nature, and audience have on performances, and will ultimately work on the creation of an extended final performance, to be presented at the end of the course.