Fabrizio Bigotti (University of Exeter) ICUB Humanities Visiting Professor
Only a few works in the history of Western philosophical tradition have been read and commented upon as much as Aristotle’s De anima. The book, however, deserves attention on its own right, as a landmark in Aristotle’s thought. Besides its emphasis on the relation between the body and the soul, the De anima offers a series of precious insights into Aristotle’s philosophy and especially on the relation between universal knowledge and natural philosophy. From this standpoint, the work places itself at the conjunction of Aristotle’s metaphysical and natural investigations. This module aims at presenting Aristotle’s De anima by means of ten thematic encounters which will explore issues related to perception, emotion, understanding and intuition with help also from other works, and especially Metaphysica I and XII. The text will be read in English, key references from Greek will be translated and explained. Selected passages will be pre-circulated. A basic understanding of philosophy is desirable, but constancy in attending the course is essential.
For registration and other details please contact Fabrizio Bigotti at f.bigotti(at)exeter.ac.uk.
Course outline
10 seminars 2 hours each, unless signalled otherwise (**), 4.30-6.30 pm
Starting date: 23th May – 26th July 2018
Venue
List of the encounters:
23 May 2018 – (2.30-4.30 pm)** Introduction– Diaporetical problems (Bk I)
30 May 2018 – Limits of the Natural Enquiry of the Soul (Bk I)
6 June 2018 – Definition of the Soul and Related Problems (Bk II)
13 June 2018 – (2.30-4.30 pm)** Analysis of Sense Perception (Bk II)
20 June 2018 – Emotion (Bk II –III)
27 June 2018 – The intellect, General Outlines
*9 July 2018 – The Dynamic/Natural Intellect
11 July 2018 – The “Nous Poietikόs”
18 July 2018 – Implications and Consequences of Aristotle’s Notion of Intellect
25 July 2018 – Motion and Desire – Final Remarks
* The change is required as Prof. Bigotti will be away throughout the first week of July to lecture at the International Summer School of Rabat (Morocco)
Texts
Greek: Wilhelm BIEHL (Ed.), Aristotelis De Anima Libri Tres (Teubner: 1896)
English: SHIELDS Christopher (Ed.), Aristotle. De anima (Oxford University Press: 2016) or alternatively any available translation
Secondary Literature
DE BOER Sander W., The Science of the Soul. The Commentary Tradition on Aristotle’s De anima, c. 1260-1360 (Leuven University Press: 2013)
NUSSBAUM Martha C., OKSENBERG RORTY A., Essays on Aristotle’s De anima (Oxford University Press: 1995)
POLANSKY Ronald (Ed.), Aristotle’s De Anima. A Critical Commentary (Cambridge University Press: 2007)