Scheda programma d'esame
HISTORY OF ARABIAN MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
CRISTINA D'ANCONA
Academic year2019/20
CoursePHILOSOPHY AND FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
Code252MM
Credits6
PeriodSemester 1
LanguageItalian

ModulesAreaTypeHoursTeacher(s)
STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA ARABA MEDIEVALE (S)M-FIL/08LEZIONI36
CRISTINA D'ANCONA unimap
Learning outcomes
Knowledge

The history and main topics of the philosophy that developed in the Muslim world, mostly in Arabic, is part and parcel of the history of Medieval philosophy and, by the same token, of the history of philosophy as such. No graduate in philosophy should ignore the main topics dealt with by al-Farabi, Avicenna or Averroes, in themselves and in their relationship with the philosophical thought of the Latin Middle Ages. The student who successfully completes the course will get acquainted with the developments of philosophy in Arabic during the period that roughly corresponds to the Western Middle Ages. This semester we shall deal with Averroes as an exegete of Aristotle's On the Soul.

Assessment criteria of knowledge

Attendance is advised. The learning activities consist in the participation in discussions. Submission of oral/written reports on voluntary basis is encouraged.

Skills

The successful student, no matter whether or not attending the classes, is expected to be familiar with the development of the philosophical thought in the Muslim area, from its beginnings rooted in late Antiquity to the age of Averroes. His/her capability to account for Averroes as an exegete of Aristotle's On the Soul will be part and parcel of the evaluation, but the specific analysis will be conducted against the background of a firm knowledge of the history of philosophical thought during the period under consideration.

Assessment criteria of skills

Oral and written reports on voluntary basis. Final exams.

Behaviors

Team work and discussion are encouraged, but the main quality that is meant to be developed is the attitude to the careful reading of ancient, often neglected texts.

Assessment criteria of behaviors

Exchange on regular basis with the students attending the classes.

Prerequisites

Basic course in Ancient Philosophy. No Arabic required - the texts will be translated during each class and the working translation will be handed out on regular basis.

Teaching methods

Those interested in this course are expected to follow our method of careful, patient readiing of the primary texts.

Syllabus

Averroes and Aristotle's On the Soul

Besides the basic knowledge of the history of Medieval Arabic philosophy, the focus of the course will be on Averroes' interpretation of Aristotle's On the Soul in its stages. 

Bibliography

Averroes' commentaries on Aristotle's On the Soul:

Short Commentary:

Averroes. Epitome de anima ed. S. Gomez Nogales, CSIC, Madrid 1985

Middle Commentary:

Middle Commentary on Aristotle’s De Anima. A Critical Edition of the Arabic Text and English Translation, Notes and Introduction by A. L. Ivry, Brigham Young University Press, Provo, Utah 2002

Long Commentary:

Averrois Cordubensis, Commentarium magnum in Aristotelis De Anima libros recensuit F.S. Crawford, Cambridge [MA] 1953 (Corpus Commentariorum Auerrois in Aristotelem … Versionum Latinarum VI 1).

Additional materials will be available on Moodle. Attendants are expected to keep on line. 

Further readings:

H.A. Davidson, Alfarabi, Avicenna, and Averroes, on Intellect. Their Cosmologies, Theories of the Active Intellect, and Theories of Human Intellect, Oxford U.P., New York-Oxford 1992.

A.L. Ivry, "Averroes' Short Commentary on Aristotle's De Anima”, Documenti e studi sulla tradizione filosofica medievale 7 (1997), pp. 511-49.

R. Taylor, "Personal Immortality in Averroes’ Mature Philosophical Psychology”, Documenti e studi sulla tradizione filosofica medievale 9 (1998), pp. 87-110.

Non-attending students info

Those who will not attend the classes are advised to get in touch with:

cristina.dancona@unipi.it

Assessment methods

Final oral exam.

Notes

start: September 23, 2019

 

Chair of the Jury: Prof. Cristina D’Ancona

Members of the Jury: Prof. Stefano Perfetti,  dott. Elisa Coda

 

Alternate Jury:

Chair of the Jury Prof. Giovanni Paoletti,

Members of the Jury: prof. Bruno Centrone, dott. Francesco Pelosi

Updated: 04/04/2020 10:55