Il Libero Arbitrio: Filosofia, Letteratura e Scienza - SPECIAL COGITO

In 'Trattato teologico-politico,' Baruch Spinoza presents a critical examination of the relationships between theology, politics, and reason. The work challenges the authority of religious dogma over sovereign governance, advocating for the separation of faith and reason. Spinoza critiques the traditional views on scriptural authority, prophecy, and divine revelation, emphasizing their human and historical contexts. He argues for a democratic political structure where the state's strength is linked to the freedom of its citizens to think and express themselves. The treatise is a foundational text for the Enlightenment, influencing later thinkers and the development of liberal democratic principles.

Questa antologia raccoglie le prime otto opere di narrativa di Ted Chiang, pubblicate tra il 1990 e il 2002. I racconti esplorano temi di fantascienza, metafisica e speculazione scientifica. Uno dei racconti più celebri, 'Storia della tua vita', ispirò il film 'Arrival' di Denis Villeneuve e descrive la comunicazione con alieni che percepiscono la realtà in modo non sequenziale e olistico. L'antologia include anche altri racconti che trattano di argomenti come l'intelligenza artificiale, la biologia e la filosofia della scienza.

In this book, Sapolsky delves into the complex interplay of biological processes, including neuroscience, genetics, and hormones, to explain why humans behave in various ways. He examines behavior on multiple time scales, from the immediate neural responses to actions that occur over centuries and millennia. The book addresses topics such as tribalism, xenophobia, hierarchy, competition, morality, and free will, providing a nuanced and multifaceted understanding of human behavior. Sapolsky's approach integrates cutting-edge research across several disciplines to offer insights into the biological basis of human actions, both good and bad.

Berserk is a manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. The story is set in a dark fantasy world inspired by medieval Europe and centers around Guts, a lone swordsman, and his quest for revenge against Griffith, the leader of the mercenary band 'Band of the Hawk'. Griffith's betrayal and sacrifice of his comrades to become a demonic being sets off a chain of events filled with violence, horror, and dark themes. Guts is joined by various characters, including the elf Puck and the witch Schierke, as he navigates a world filled with Apostles, the God Hand, and other supernatural entities. The series is known for its intense action, deep character development, and intricate world-building.

Written in epistolary form, the novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant and ambitious scientist who, driven by Enlightenment-era ideas of progress and science, creates a living being from dead body parts. However, upon seeing the creature come to life, Frankenstein is horrified and abandons it. The creature, shunned by society due to its appearance, seeks revenge against its creator, leading to a series of tragic events. The novel explores themes of guilt, loss, and the emotional and moral consequences of scientific hubris, blending elements of Gothic and Romantic literature.

Il libro di Richard Dawkins esamina la biologia dell'egoismo e dell'altruismo, sostenendo che la selezione naturale avviene a livello genetico piuttosto che a livello di specie o individuo. Dawkins argomenta che i geni utilizzano i corpi degli organismi come 'macchine da sopravvivenza' per conservare e replicare se stessi. Il libro introduce anche il concetto di 'meme', un'entità culturalmente trasmessa analoga al gene biologico. Dawkins discute come l'egoismo dei geni possa spiegare comportamenti apparentemente altruistici negli organismi.

In "Che cos'è provare ad essere un pipistrello? ", Thomas Nagel esplora il problema mente-corpo attraverso la prospettiva soggettiva di un pipistrello. L'articolo sfida la possibilità di una comprensione oggettiva della coscienza, sostenendo che l'esperienza soggettiva è irriducibile a spiegazioni fisicaliste. Nagel argomenta che la comprensione della coscienza richiede un accesso diretto all'esperienza soggettiva, che è inaccessibile a un osservatore esterno. Questo articolo ha avuto un impatto significativo sulla filosofia della mente, sollevando questioni cruciali sulla natura della coscienza e sui limiti della spiegazione scientifica. L'articolo continua a stimolare dibattiti e riflessioni sulla natura della soggettività e sulla possibilità di una scienza oggettiva della coscienza.

Published in 1859, 'On Liberty' is a seminal work by John Stuart Mill that argues for the protection of individual freedoms from the tyranny of the majority and government interference. Mill uses utilitarian philosophy to justify the value of liberty, emphasizing the importance of freedom of thought, discussion, and action. He introduces the 'harm principle,' which states that individuals should only be restrained from acting when their conduct may harm others. The essay is structured into five chapters, each addressing different aspects of liberty, including the liberty of thought and discussion, individual liberty, the limits of authority, and practical applications of his theories. Mill argues that protecting individual liberties is essential for societal progress and the avoidance of social stagnation.

The Monadology, written in 1714, is one of Leibniz's most important philosophical works. It outlines his metaphysics of simple substances, or monads, which are indivisible, non-extended, and the basic building blocks of the universe. Leibniz argues that monads are fully determinate individual substances with internal principles for their change of states and that they perceive the universe from unique perspectives. The text also discusses the pre-established harmony among monads, the role of God as the necessary and simplest substance, and the argument that we live in the best of all possible worlds. Leibniz's monadology is a comprehensive system that critiques Cartesian and mechanistic views of nature, emphasizing the unity and causal necessity of the universe through the concept of monads.

Le 'Lettere a Lucilio' sono l'opera filosofica più rilevante di Seneca, scritte durante il suo ritiro dalla vita pubblica. Le lettere, anche note come 'Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium' o 'Letters from a Stoic', sono indirizzate a Lucilio Junior, ma sono chiaramente scritte per un pubblico più ampio. In esse, Seneca esprime la sua visione della vita e dell'uomo, offrendo consigli su come diventare un devoto stoico e trattando temi come il disprezzo della morte, la virtù come sommo bene e la gestione del tempo. Le lettere spesso iniziano con osservazioni sulla vita quotidiana e si estendono a principi e questioni filosofiche più ampie.

The Summa Theologica is a comprehensive work divided into three parts. The first part deals with God, the creation of the world, angels, and the nature of man. The second part is subdivided into two sections: the first part of the second part discusses general principles of morality and law, while the second part of the second part addresses morality in particular, including individual virtues and vices. The third part, left unfinished by Aquinas, focuses on the person and work of Christ and the sacraments. The work also includes a posthumous supplement that concludes the third part and discusses Christian eschatology. Aquinas drew on Aristotelian and Augustinian influences and aimed to integrate faith and reason in his theological arguments.

Written in Latin between AD 397 and 400, 'Confessions' is a blend of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible. The first nine books are autobiographical, tracing Augustine's life from his birth to his conversion to Catholicism. He recounts his sinful youth, his involvement with Manicheism and Neoplatonism, and his eventual conversion in a Milanese garden. The last four books focus on philosophical and theological issues, including memory, time, eternity, and the interpretation of the Book of Genesis. The work is structured as a series of prayers to God, reflecting Augustine's journey of redemption and his understanding of God's grace and providence.

Pubblicato nel 1762, 'Il contratto sociale' di Rousseau esplora il concetto di libertà e giustizia nella società, proponendo un modello di governo in cui la vera sovranità risiede nelle mani dei cittadini. L'opera sostiene che gli individui si uniscono in un 'contratto sociale' per creare una comunità politica che rispetti gli interessi collettivi, promuovendo l'uguaglianza e la libertà. Il pensiero di Rousseau ha avuto un impatto profondo sulla teoria politica e ha ispirato movimenti rivoluzionari, tra cui la Rivoluzione francese e la Costituzione degli Stati Uniti d'America.