Specialization in
«Science and Philosophy»

Academic Director

Marc Leclerc, sj, Faculty of Philosophy

Scientific Director

Gennaro Auletta, PhD, Faculty of Philosophy

SECRETARY

Mr. Nicola Riva

The Specialization "Science and Philosophy" of the Pontifical Gregorian University is a part of a larger project aiming at stimulating the dialogue between science, philosophy, and theology. This project is under the high patronage of the Pontifical Council for Culture and financially supported by a grant of the John Templeton Foundation. Its denomination is Science, Theology, and The Ontological Quest (STOQ) and collects three Pontifical Universities, Gregorian, Lateran, and Regian Apostolorum, a group that has successively been joined by the Angelicum, Santa Croce and Salesian University.

Aims

The aim of the specialization is to integrate philosophical studies with recent developments in the natural sciences. We will consider the implications of the development of contemporary sciences for philosophy and our understanding of God. Ultimately, the purpose is to integrate areas of interest that have become separated in modern times.

Contents

The specialization lasts two years. We offer 6 optional courses and 2 seminars per year (courses and seminars lasting 24 hrs).

The specialization covers four main areas: (1) physics, (2) biology, (3) cognitive sciences, and (4) critical epistemology and metaphysics. These are the object of four courses every year.

Three courses are centred every year on the three natural sciences indicated above (physics, biology, and cognitive sciences).

The seminars, on the other hand, are intended to serve as philosophical support for the courses. There are two general themes for the seminars: (1) logic and epistemology, and (2) metaphysics.

Of the remaining courses, two of them - one a year - about the fourth general area, i.e. critical epistemology and metaphysics, have been conceived as the link between the scientific courses and the seminars, to insure the critical articulation between natural sciences and philosophical reflection.

Morevoer we will offer at least 2 additional courses that represent introductions to specific scientific areas (mathematics, physics, and biology).

Curriculum

The specialization is embedded in the curriculum for the license in Philosophy (second cycle). The curriculum of the license consists in 4 seminars, 8 optional courses and 6 compulsory courses. In order to obtain the license, students are also required to write a dissertation and to pass an oral and a written exam. The written exam consists in the redaction of a text about a theme chosen by the candidate among three ones. The oral exam is about one of two authors chosen by the candidate, about one among ten special philosophical themes chosen by the candidate, and about one among 12 general philosophical themes. In particular, apart from the compulsory courses prescribed for the second-cycle (6 general courses) and the study of 12 general themes, students following this track, on consultation with the Director of the Specialization, are required to:

• choose two authors whose works have a bearing on the study of the interaction between science and philosophy;
• choose, among the ten required, 5 special themes about the interaction between science and philosophy and another 5 from the systematic section of the Faculty;
•  write their dissertation on a theme corresponding to some particular feature of the interaction between science and philosophy;
•  choose and follow 8 optional courses and 4 seminars, of which at least 4 courses and 2 seminars must be chosen from among the offering of the specialization according to the scheme below.

A prerequisite is a minimal knowledge of English (enough to follow the courses).

Credits and Mutual Recognition

The specialization is conformed to the norms ruled by the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The rating system used by the Gregorian University are equated to the credits of the ECTS.  6 general courses + 8 optional courses and 4 seminars amounts to 80 credits (2 + 4 for each seminar and 2 + 2 for each course), the final dissertation accounts for 17 credits, while the final written exam and the final oral exam to 6 and 17 credits respectively. Therefore, we have 120 credits in two years, i.e. 60 credits for each year, in accordance with the rules of the ECTS.

Invited Professors

Dario Antiseri, Werner Arber, Gianfranco Basti, Michel Bitbol, Theodor Bucher, William Carroll, George Coyne, Massimo dell’Utri, Bernard d’Espagnat, Walter Freeman, Ludovico Galleni, Michel Ghins, Francesco Guerra, Dominique Lambert, Domenico Parisi, Giorgio Parisi, Roger Penrose, John Searle, Linda Smith, Massimo Stanzione, Jean Staune, Gino Tarozzi.