M. Ciardi, Breve storia delle pseudoscienze, Milano, Hoepli.
M. Ciardi, Galileo e Harry Potter. La magia può aiutare la scienza?, Roma Carocci.
C. Darwin, Correre tutti i rischi. Lettere sull'avventura della ricerca, Roma, L'Orma editore.
C. Darwin, Lettere sulla religione, Torino, Einaudi.
G. Giorello, E. Sindoni, Un mondo di mondi. Alla ricerca della vita intelligente nell'universo, Milano, Raffaello Cortina.
Learning Objectives
Students are taught to read primary and secondary sources critically concerning the history of science, the history of natural sciences and evolutionism, in their relationship with the philosophical and literary culture, and with the political, social and institutional context. By the end of the course they will be able to describe specific instances of scientific-cultural interaction, to verify sources, and to use critical tools.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites
Teaching Methods
Lectures
Further information
Until the age of Darwin, the history of nature, man, and civilisations were explained and understood within the 6000 years allowed by biblical chronology. Any proposal tending to lengthen the times of nature and history was substantially branded as heretical. Galileo, Descartes, Bacon and Newton, the great protagonists of the seventeenth-century philosophical and scientific revolution, lived within this theological and chronological perspective. As of the late XVII century, however, the problematics presented by scientific voyages, the knowledge of new natural objects and new peoples unknown to European culture, the discovery of fossils, interpretation of myths and fables from civilisations claiming ancient origins, were the fountainhead of the intellectual and scientific change that decisively influenced the development of culture and contemporary society, and still today generates none too easily solved discussions and problematics, both in the strictly scientific field and on the ideological and social level.
Type of Assessment
The exam will take the form of an oral discussion. The student will be assessed according to the knowledge acquired, the ability to provide a clear summary of the topics covered, and critical handling of the material. The student will be expected to refer to both the exam bibliography and the texts read and discussed during the lectures.
The assessment will depend particularly on: 1) skill displayed in handling the sources and material in the exam bibliography; 2) ability to find and use information and examples to illustrate and correlate the various themes and problems addressed in the course.
Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology.
Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology. A student will be deemed to have failed the exam in the case of significant shortcomings.
Evaluation levels:
30 cum laude: excellent performance showing soundness of knowledge, rich discursive articulation, appropriate expression, interest of critical contribution;
30: Excellent performance, complete, and appropriate knowledge, well-articulated and appropriately expressed, with interesting critical contributions;
29-27: Good performance, more than satisfactory knowledge, correct expression.
26-24: Standard performance, essential knowledge, but not comprehensive and / or not always correctly expressed;
23-21: Sufficient performance, general but superficial knowledge; often inappropriate expression and/or confused articulation of speech;
20-18: Poor performance, sufficient expression and articulation of speech with significant gaps.