Università Roma Tre

Title: Between anthropology and morality: the theory of passions in Descartes, Hobbes and Spinoza

The theory of passions is an important benchmark for modern philosophies. The description of human emotional life involves ontological and epistemological premises: the relationship between matter and thought, between mind and body, between reason and imagination, between nature and freedom. At the same time, it has consequences that affect how we conceive the individual subject, intersubjective relationships, social formations and virtue. The course will focus on the theories of passions found in Descartes, Hobbes and Spinoza, in order to highlight their differing answers to the same questions.

The course will consider the following topics and questions. Primitive affections and complex affections: how can we categorise passions? Mechanism and teleology: what are the passions for? Passions and science: are emotions an obstacle, a conveyor or an object of knowledge? Passions and human relations: how are they recognised and what role do they play? Passion and Virtue: is affective life an excess to restrain or a resource to cultivate? Outlets for passion: freedom, peace, the knowledge of God?

- René Descartes, Le passioni dell’anima (Bompiani), Parti II e III.
- Thomas Hobbes, Leviatano, (Laterza o Bompiani), Capitoli 6 e 10-15
- Baruch Spinoza, Etica, Milano (Editori Riuniti o Bompiani), Parti II e III.

ONE text between the following (parts related to the program)
- F. Cerrato, Un secolo di passioni e politica. Hobbes, Descartes e Spinoza, Roma, DeriveApprodi, 2012.
- S. Vegetti-Finzi (a cura di), Storia delle passioni, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2004.
- E. Pulcini, L’individuo senza passioni. Individualismo moderno e perdita del legame sociale, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2001.

The text you choose may be replaced by a more specific bibliography on one of the topics discussed within in the course, and will be agreed with the lecturer.