Phenomenology, Naturalism and Metaphysics
CORSO SPECIALISTICO - Phenomenology, Naturalism and Metaphysics
A.A. 2019-20 (32h)
Doctoral course title: Phenomenology, Naturalism, and Metaphysics
Topic for the year 2019-2020: The Tribulations of the Given
Coordinators: Proff. Antonio M. Nunziante, Andrea Altobrando
Other Participants: dott. Luca Corti
Start: October 30th, 2019, h 16:30-19.00
Frequency: once or twice a month, from November 2019 to September 2020, on Wednesday.
Scheduled time: 16:30 - 19.00
Calendar: November 13 (Sala Giacon), December 11 (Sala Giacon), January 15 (Sala Giacon), January 29 (Sala Giacon), February 12 (Sala Giacon) February 26 (Sala Giacon 9.00-11.00), March 17 (Sala Giacon), April 15 (Sala Giacon), May 20 (Sala Giacon). A concluding workshop will be held in September 2020.
Venue: Sala Giacon, Palazzo del Capitanio, Capitaniato Square, 3-35139 Padova
Topic description: This seminar is devoted to topics in theoretical philosophy which lie at the crossroad between phenomenology and metaphysics, and which raise questions concerning a naturalistic understanding of reality. Phenomenology, in this seminar, is mainly considered as a specific approach to philosophical issues, which analyses experience and its structures, rather than as a philosophical tradition, not to say doctrine. Metaphysics, on the other hand, is considered as a philosophical domain in which one taken on questions concerning the structure of reality also beyond what experience can show. Naturalism, instead, does not represent a specific domain of investigation, but rather a general, if not vague, way of understanding reality as basically natural, and as subject to natural laws. One of the aims of the seminar is to investigate whether, and, in case, how, a naturalistic understanding of the issue at stake from time to time is possible, and, furthermore, if the phenomenological and metaphysical analyses we will carry out purport a specific form of naturalism instead of another one, or if they possibly show an untenability of any kind of naturalism.
Topic of the academic year 2019/2020: The Tribulations of the Given
For the academic year 2019/2020, we aim to consider different ways according to which the concept of the “given” can be understood as regards experience in general, and perception, understanding, cognition, emotion and volition in particular. During the course, we will critically analyse and assess different concepts of “the given” which have been put forward throughout the history of philosophy, especially during the 20 th century and during the first two decades of the 21 st century. We will consider the specific meanings and roles the concept of thegiven plays in different theories and research areas, such as philosophy of mind, analysis of consciousness, epistemology, etc. Beside carrying out specific phenomenological and metaphysical analyses of what it means that something is, or seems to be, given, we will consider which understandings of the given can be compatible with a naturalistic view of reality, as well as which troubles specific concepts of givenness can cause for specific forms of naturalism, especially the reductionist ones.