Adventures and Misadventures of Intentionality between Medieval Philosophy and Phenomenology

Annotation

(NOTA BENE: THIS IS NOT A COURSE FOR ERASMUS STUDENTS.

IF ERASMUS STUDENTS WANT TO ATTEND IT, THEY NEED TO PRELIMINARILY CONTACT THE TEACHER,

FOR ONLY A FEW SPOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE)

WINTER 2019

Charles University

Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

(BA Module)

Anna Tropia, Ph.D.

Daniele De Santis, Ph. D.

Office hours:

Wednesday 12:00-13:00 (Tropia)

Thursday 11:00-12:00 (De Santis)

Email: [e-mail] [e-mail]

Adventures and Misadventures of Intentionality in Medieval Philosophy and Phenomenology

(An Introduction)

(Thursday 14:10-15:40)

Room: P225 1. General Description and Aims of the Module

That of intentionality is by far one of the most used and abused terms in contemporary philosophy (whether of analytic or continental tradition); however, its origins and conceptual development over the centuries are seldom taken into systematic account by scholars and philosophers. The goal of the present module is to offer a first historic-systematic discussion of the term intentionality, notably, of some its conceptual and terminological variations, with a special focus upon its first injection(s) in medieval times and its re-emergence in contemporary philosophy, notably, phenomenology.

Our aim does not simply consist in elucidating the concept of intentionality per se, but first and foremost in understanding the context(s) within which philosophers resort to it, so as to address and eventually answer questions such as: what are the problems that require the introduction of such a concept? Why is it necessary to speak of “intentionality”?

To this end, excerpts and passages will be read and discussed from both medieval philosophers (Thomas Aquinas, Henry of Ghent, Peter John Olivi, John Duns Scotus), and thinkers belonging to the history or pre-history of the early phenomenological tradition (from F. Brentano to K. Twardowski, from E. Husserl to M. Heidegger). 2. Structure

The module will be structured both thematically and historically and divided into 4 series of three seminars, each of which will revolve around a specific theme, or a combination thereof.

(1) Each series will start off with a first thematic session on medieval philosophy,

(2) Which will be then followed by a second thematic session on phenomenology;

(3) Finally, the third and last session will be dedicated to an in-class close-up reading of the texts previously introduced and discussed. 3. Course Outline

First Series

Seminar 1: The begin: Henry of Ghent vs. Thomas Aquinas

Seminar 2: Franz Brentano: The Modern Discoverer of “Intentionality”?

Second Series

Seminar 1: The mental world: Henry of Ghent, John Duns Scotus

Seminar 2: Intentional Relation and Intentional Object. On a Debate within the School of Brentano

Third Series

Seminar 1: Peter John Olivi: Cognition as Direct Access to the Things Themselves

Seminar 2: Edmund Husserl: Intentionality and Phenomenology

Fourth Series

Seminar 1: Some Later Views: attentio animi, and a Direct Look Upon Things

Seminar 2: Heidegger: Intentionality or Existence?