OVERVIEW

Some general topics of philosophy of science will be scrutinized in more depth, focusing on philosophy of medicine and psychiatry. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course aims at consolidating the main topics learned during the undergraduate course of Philosophy of science, analyzing notions such as scientific theory, scientific explanation, theoretical change, realism and anti-realism. The above goals will be pursued focusing on medicine and psychiatry, thus introducing the main issues currently discussed in Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aims of this course are: consolidating the main topics learned during the undergraduate course of Philosophy of science as well as the conceptual and terminological apparatus needed to argue in a clear and rigorous way about scientific problems; analyzing in more depths relevant notions such as scientific theory, scientific explanation, theoretical change, realism and anti-realism, especially focusing on special sciences such as medicine and psychiatry; learning to critically evaluate the main issues currently discussed in the Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to: understand, explain, and resum advanced texts in Philosophy of scienze, with an appropriate conceptual and terminological apparatus; apply the analytical tools of philosophical reasoning to the discussion of new scientific problems, especially with regard to the Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry; critically evaluate current scientific issues, advancing arguments and counter-arguments.

PREREQUISITES

It would be useful having already attended to an undergraduate course in Philosophy of science

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and students' presentations. External scholars could be invited to discuss specific issues.

Students must register to Aulaweb to obtain relevant teaching material.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

First, some genral topics learned during the undergraduate course of Philosophy of science will be analyzed in more depths, especially the problems of reductionism and scientific explanation. Then, these issues will be scrutinized with respect to the Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry. Should psychiatry be considered a specialty of medicine? What is mental disorder? Could mental disorders be reduced to brain dysfunctions? Are mental disorders natural kinds or social constructions? What kind of explanation is psychiatric explanation?

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students regularly attending the course

1) One volume among the followings:
- Amoretti, M.C. (2015), Filosofia e medicina. Pensare la salute e la malattia, Carocci, Roma.
- Amoretti, M.C., Lalumera, E. (a cura di) (2017). Psichiatria e scienze cognitive. Focus di Sistemi intelligenti.
- Canguilhem, G. (1998), Il normale e il patologico, Torino, Einaudi.
- Hacking I. (2004) I viaggiatori folli. Lo strano caso di Albert Dadas, Carocci, Roma + Lalumera, E. (2018) "Filosofia della psichiatria", Aphex.
- Frances, A. (2013), Primo, non curare chi è normale. Contro l'invenzione delle malattie,Milano, Bollati Boringhieri.
- Pagnini, A. (2010), Filosofia della medicina, Roma, Carocci (parte prima e parte terza).
- Sacks, O. (2001), L'uomo che scambiò sua moglie per un cappello, Milano, Adelphi.

2) A presentation in class on a relevant topic.

3) Students who never attended an undergraduate course of Philosophy of science must also read: 
- Campaner R., Galavotti, M.C. Filosofia della scienza, EGEA, Milano, 2018. 

Other students

1) Laudisa, F., Datteri, E. (2011) La natura e i suoi modelli. Un’introduzione alla filosofia della scienza, Bologna, Archetipolibri --> for those who have already attended an undergraduate course of Philosophy of science
OR - Campaner R., Galavotti, M.C. Filosofia della scienza, EGEA, Milano, 2018 --> for those who never attended an undergraduate course of Philosophy of science

2) One volume among the followings:
- Amoretti, M.C. (2015), Filosofia e medicina. Pensare la salute e la malattia, Roma, Carocci.
- Cooper, R.V. 2007. Psychiatry and Philosophy of Science, Montreal, McGill-Queen's University Press.
- Aragona, M. (2009), Il mito dei fatti. Una introduzione alla filosofia della psicopatologia, kindle.

3) One volume among the followings:
- Amoretti, M.C., Lalumera, E. (2017). Psichiatria e scienze cognitive. Focus di Sistemi intelligenti.
- Canguilhem, G. (1998), Il normale e il patologico, Torino, Einaudi.
- Hacking I. (2004) I viaggiatori folli. Lo strano caso di Albert Dadas, Carocci, Roma + Lalumera, E. (2018) "Filosofia della psichiatria", Aphex.
- Frances, A. (2013), Primo, non curare chi è normale. Contro l'invenzione delle malattie, Milano, Bollati Boringhieri.
- Pagnini, A. (2010), Filosofia della medicina, Roma, Carocci (parts I and III).
- Sacks, O. (2001), L'uomo che scambiò sua moglie per un cappello, Milano, Adelphi.

Other relevant readings in English will be proposed to incoming students.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIA CRISTINA AMORETTI (President)

MARCELLO FRIXIONE

MICHELE MARSONET

DAVIDE SERPICO

MICHELE MARSONET (President)

MARCELLO FRIXIONE

DAVIDE SERPICO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

18 September 2018

Class schedule

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Students regularly attending: presentation in class and oral examination. 

Others: oral examination.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Students regularly attending: the presentation in class (20pt over 30) will evaluate the ability to apply the analytical tools of philosophical reasoning to the discussion of new scientific problems, especially with regard to the Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry as well as the ability to critically evaluate current scientific issues, advancing arguments and counter-arguments; oral examination (10pt over 30) will evaluate the capacity to understand, explain, and resum advanced texts in Philosophy of scienze, with an appropriate conceptual and terminological apparatus.

Others: oral examination will evaluate the capacity to understand, explain, and resum advanced texts in Philosophy of scienze, with an appropriate conceptual and terminological apparatus (10pt over 30); the ability to apply the analytical tools of philosophical reasoning to the discussion of new scientific problems, especially with regard to the Philosophy of medicine and psychiatry (10pt over 30); and the ability to critically evaluate current scientific issues, advancing arguments and counter-arguments (10pt over 30).

Exam schedule