OVERVIEW

Experimental philosophy (or XPhil) is an interdisciplinary approach that combines the questions and classical theoretical frameworks of philosophy with the experimental methods of psychology, neuroscience and, more generally, cognitive science. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the main objectives, methods and results of contemporary experimental philosophy and to the main criticisms addressed to this recent field of philosophical inquiry.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Experimental philosophy (or XPhil) is an interdisciplinary approach that combines the questions and classical theoretical frameworks of philosophy with the experimental methods of psychology, neuroscience and, more generally, cognitive science. The objective of the course is to introduce students to the main objectives, methods and results of contemporary experimental philosophy and to the main criticisms addressed to this recent field of philosophical inquiry.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course the student will be able to master the basic notions of experimental philosophy. The student will learn to critically discuss the role of intuitions and empirical evidence in the construction of philosophical theories. The student will also learn the rudiments of experimental methodology, learning to independently construct and conduct a cognitive psychology experiment.

Additional training objectives:

- Acquire a greater ability to manage one's social interactions with a collaborative attitude, constructive communication and dialogic ability.
- Demonstrate work autonomy, ability to manage primary literature, argumentative ability and collaborative, coordination and negotiation aptitude.

PREREQUISITES

The teaching presupposes above all a basic knowledge of logic. A good knowledge of the concepts and theories underlying the main areas of philosophical investigation is also required: morality, language, epistemology, aesthetics, politics, metaphysics and ontology.

Attendance is strongly recommended.

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching will be provided through lectures held by the teacher.

The course will alternate lectures held by the teacher with presentations in class held by the attending students.

Students are required to register on Aulaweb, where useful materials for the course will be uploaded.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is divided into three parts.

In the first part, the problem of the role of intuitions and empirical data in the construction of philosophical theories will be discussed and it will be shown how, starting from this debate, the new field of investigation of experimental philosophy arose.

In the second part, the rudiments of the experimental methodology will be provided: the off-line and on-line methods, the experimental design, dependent and independent variables, the construction of the experimental stimuli, the basis of statistical analysis and interpretation of the experimental data.

In the third part of the course some classic case studies of experimental philosophy will be examined. In particular, it will be shown how experimental philosophy has tried to address classic philosophical problems and questions, typical of different areas of philosophical investigation, with the methods of cognitive psychology and neuroscience: determinism and moral responsibility, lying, theories of the reference of proper names, attributions of knowledge, intentionality, aesthetic judgements.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Foreign students are kindly required to contatct Prof. Domaneschi before the beginning of the course

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FILIPPO DOMANESCHI (President)

MARCELLO FRIXIONE

DANIELE PORELLO (Substitute)

MASSIMILIANO VIGNOLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

Exam schedule