OVERVIEW

This course aims to present the most relevant problems of the philosophy of science and the main concepts related to it, giving particular attention to questions that concern the knowledge of the human being, in its psychological and social dimensions. The purpose is not only to convey information, but also to enable a reflection on the human sciences, their methods, their achievements and their possible limitations, taking into account their specific approaches and assumptions.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will receive essential information about the contemporary discussion on scientific knowledge and on the most relevant  concepts involved in it.

They will be expected to acquire the capacity to reflect in a critical way about philosophical issues, and use suitable vocabulary to discuss concrete cases and examples.

Students will learn to use their skills to build up opinions about philosophical themes founded on coherent and solid arguments.

They will acquire the capacity to orient themselves in philosophical and argumentative texts in general, and to read them critically.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will not consist only of lectures, introducing the main issues of the course and analyzing concepts and problems, but  requires active participation by all students.

The participants will be involved in exercises of philosophical analysis and argumentation, in the clarification and discussion of philosophical concepts and concepts in common use.

The slides used during the lectures will be made available on Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

For a long time the philosophy of science has reflected on the nature of scientific knowledge, focusing mainly on the model of science provided by the "exact" physical and mathematical sciences of nature. According to this view,  the so called "human sciences" do not offer a sufficiently rigorous form of knowledge; by consequence their "scientific" status was questioned or considered ambiguous and inadequate. In more recent years, however, a deeper epistemological analysis has undermined the uniqueness and strength of the cognitive model offered by the physical-mathematical sciences; furthermore, the rise of the cognitive sciences and neurosciences has made it possible to extend the methods and procedures of a "rigorous" form of knowledge (computer science, artificial intelligence, neurophysiology) to the more complex dimension of human mind and human agency. However,  what does "science" mean? Can science be distinguished  in a clear way from other kinds of knowledge (opinion, faith, wisdom ...)? Is science the only actual knowledge? Which are its proper areas of application? Can we speak of "science" in the singular? What relationship exists between different types of scientific knowledge, particularly in relation to the knowledge of the human and social world?
This course will address these issues, with particular reference to the most advanced challenge towards the non-scientific comprehension of the human mind, that is proposed by the emerging role of the so-called  neurosciences.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

TESTI DI STUDIO:

1) S. Okasha, Il primo libro di filosofia della scienza, Torino, Einaudi, 2006.
2) 
 N. Vassallo (a cura di), Filosofia delle scienze, Torino, Einaudi, 2003, limitatamente ai seguenti capitoli: A. Pagnini, Filosofia della psicanalisi, pp. 249-279; A. Civita, Filosofia della psicologia, pp. 281-317; M. Frixione, Filosofia delle scienze cognitive, pp. 319-350; D. Sparti, Filosofia delle scienze sociali, pp. 351-383.

3) a scelta una delle seguenti coppie di testi:

3.1) P. Legrenzi / C. Umiltà, Neuro-mania. Il cervello non spiega chi siamo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009; S. A. Aglioti / G. Berlucchi, Neurofobia. Chi ha paura del cervello?, Milano, Cortina, 2013.

3.2)  M. Di Francesco, La coscienza, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2000; M. Marraffa, Filosofia della psicologia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2003.

3.3)  D. Marconi, Filosofia e scienza cognitiva, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2001; F. Cimatti, Il senso della mente. Per una critica del cognitivismo, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2004.

3.4) L. Craighero, Neuroni specchio, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010; G. Hickok, Il mito dei neuroni specchio, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2015.

3.5) F. Remotti, Filosofia e scienze sociali, in P. Rossi (a cura di), La Filosofia. La filosofia e le scienze, Milano, Garzanti, 1996, pp. 269-318; D. Sparti, Epistemologia delle scienze sociali, Bologna, il Mulino, 2002.

3.6) J. R. Searle, Libertà e neurobiologia, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2005; A. Lavazza, G. Sartori (a cura di ), Neuroetica, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CLAUDIO LA ROCCA (President)

ALESSANDRA MODUGNO

LESSONS

Class schedule

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Interview

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The aim of the oral exam is to assess 1) the student's ability to orient her/himself in texts; 2) the student’s capacity to identify underlying concepts and argumentative techniques; 3) the student’s capacity to understand and carry out philosophical reasoning and to deal with  philosophical questions. It intends to verify not just knowledge but the acquisition of skills of analysis and discussion of philosophical issues.

Exam schedule