PhD in Philosophy
Training Program
The training program of the Ph.D. Course in Philosophy offers specializing courses and seminars, as well as general courses.
Each Ph.D. student will also be required to participate every year (depending on visiting periods abroad and the writing of the dissertation) in the activities (educational seminars, research seminars, workshops and conferences) organized by the Faculty research center that is most directly connected to his or her research projects.
Training program a.y. 2025/2026
Please find below the list of seminars and courses for a.y. 2025/2026.
English language course, paper writing and presentation
IT course
Gender Equality
2 cycles of reading group seminars and text discussion
Research Integrity
History of philosophy
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Elective Seminars
Submission of scientific articles and enhancement of research products
Open Science in practice
Ethics and political philosophy
Theoretical philosophy and aesthetics
Epistemology and philosophy of language
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Elective Seminars
Science Communication
Research funding for post-doctoral positions and funding of research projects
The european research framework: policy, funding programmes and research management
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Elective Seminars
Training program a.y. 2024/2025
Please find below the list of seminars and courses for a.y. 2024/2025.
English language course, paper writing and presentation- Prof. Frank Bagg
The course is primarily dedicated to developing students' communication skills in view of their participation as speakers at international conferences and workshops. It focuses on different ways to prepare an effective and understandable PowerPoint presentation, how to develop a philosophical discourse on the developed content, and how to manage the question and answer sessions.
IT course - Dr. Lorenzo Cibrario
The course aims to provide PhD students with methodological and technological knowledge on the use of tools related to office automation, networking, cloud and cyber security. The course will cover the following topics: basic and advanced use of Microsoft Excel, advanced use of Microsoft Word, communication protocols and security protocols, basic elements of computer security, data protection and advanced cyber security techniques.
Gender Equality - Dr. Simone Mattavelli – Dr. Monica Fabbri
Notwithstanding the significant social progresses made in the last decades and the introduction of targeted political interventions, a male-female imbalance persists in modern Western societies. The consequence of this phenomenon, known as gender bias, have been studied at many different levels. For instance, women are underrepresented when it comes to higher leadership positions and numerous studies showed that gender bias in science disciplines and medicine is persistent today. Moreover, gender bias can be expressed in multiple ways, from more blatant to subtle manifestations, such as linguistic expressions adopted in everyday interactions.
Research in social cognition has shown that the roots of gender bias must be searched in the concept stereotype. Stereotypes are nothing else than labels that humans tend to attach to social entities and categories and that drive the way we think and behave. Following a social-cognitive approach, this course aims at providing a better understanding of gender bias by getting to know (i) what gender-stereotypes are; (ii) how they are formed and nourished by our society; (iii) what are their consequences; and (iv) what interventions can help dismantling them.
Finally, the course will include an in-depth analysis dedicated to the "Gender Equality Plan" approved by UniSR.
2 cycles of reading group seminars and text discussion - Remy A Debes - Pierre Girard
These are series of invited lectures with the partecipation of outstanding personalities from the national and international philosophical scene on specific topics of interest to first-year PhD students in each new PhD cycle. The topics covered may vary from year to year, as well as the scientific-disciplinary areas involved.
Research Integrity - Prof. Carlo Martini
The course provides a basic overview of the fundamental principles of research integrity, defining research misconduct and questionable research practices. It offers general guidance on addressing the complex issues that may arise during planning, conducting, and reporting research, as well as the functions of the Research Integrity Office. Additionally, it provides essential information on proper authorship attribution
History of philosophy - Prof. Gianluca Briguglia
A series of lectures dedicated to a historical-philosophical theme, with particular attention to the history of ideas, that is, to the approach that places philosophical theories within the broader context of life, history, and the overall intellectual and cultural productions of a society and period
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Elective seminars:
Digital Art: an interdisciplinary perspective - Prof.ssa Annet Dekker
Contro la volontà. Il consenso sessuale nel diritto - Dr. Paola Di Nicola Travaglini
Submission of scientific articles and enhancement of research products - Dr. Bianca Cepollaro
This class provides PhD students with the basic information on how to submit one's research output to journals and publishing companies (papers, chapters, reviews, translations, monographs, etc). The central aim is to provide students with the main tools to succeed in promoting their reaserch results.
Ethics and political philosophy - Dr. Greta Favara
Series of lectures dedicated to an ethical or philosophical-political theme, with particular attention, on one hand, to the main issues concerning the nature of morality and political obligation, and, on the other hand, to the major contemporary public issues.
Theoretical philosophy and aesthetics- Dr. Francesca Forlè
Expressive qualities: the debate in analytic philosophy and a phenomenological proposal.
What do we mean when we talk about cheerful melodies, melancholic sunsets, elegant gaits, solemn atmospheres? What kind of qualities are these? What is their ontological status?
In this course we deal with expressive qualities. We analyze contemporary proposals (projectivism, arousal theories, contour theories, persona theories), considering their pros and cons. We conclude presenting a phenomenological proposal as an alternative to these theories in its non-reductionist approach to aesthetic qualities.
Epistemology and philosophy of language - Prof. Elisabetta Sacchi
The course addresses some of the main issues in the contemporary debate in philosophy of perception. Taking as a starting point the "puzzle of perception" and the arguments of illusion and hallucination, the main theoretical positions on the nature of perceptual experience will be discussed. The course will also address more specific questions such as: the scope of perceptual properties, the relationship between perception and cognition, and the nature of perceptual phenomenology.
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Open Science in practice - Dr. SIlvia Corbetta - Dr. Maya Fedeli - Dr. Marco Soriano
The Open Science approach includes all practices that promote accessibility and transparency at all levels of the research project lifecycle, to ensure the reproducibility and social utility of scientific research. The course will be divided into two sessions. One session will focus on the fundamental principles of the Open Science approach, providing practical information, guidelines, and tools on how to make scientific publications (and other research outputs) open, as well as how to adopt a methodology such as Citizen Science, aimed at fostering collaboration between the scientific community and society. The other session will focus on feedback regarding the Data Management Plans (DMP) previously submitted by students, and will address the less clear aspects of responsible data management and sharing of research data
Elective Seminars:
Digital Art: an interdisciplinary perspective - Prof.ssa Annet Dekker
Impredicativity, Generality, and Abstraction - Dr. Ludovica Conti
Contro la volontà. Il consenso sessuale nel diritto - Dr. Paola Di Nicola Travaglini
Open Science in practice: principles and tools for open access to scientific publications and research data - Dr. Silvia Corbetta - Dr. Marco Soriano
The Open Science approach includes all practices that promote accessibility and transparency at all levels of the research project lifecycle. This course will introduce the core concepts and principles in Open Science (e.g., open access, data sharing) and provide guidelines and tools on how to make scientific publications and research data open, to guarantee reproducibility and societal utility of scientific research. Furthermore, practical information will be provided on how to use the institutional repositories for publications (IRIS) and data (ORDR).
Science Communication- Dr. Maya Fedeli
The Science Communication course is designed to develop the communication skills of PhD students, enabling them to convey the complex scientific concepts of research to a wider audience in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner. During the course, students will gain an understanding of science communication strategies, learn to translate technical language into a format understandable by the general public, and hone their skills in the use of different communication platforms and tools. After an introduction to the fundamentals of science communication, topics such as writing techniques and the use of clear and accessible language, development of presentation skills, visual communication, correct and impactful use of media and social media will be addressed.
Science Communication - Dr. Maya Fedeli
Il corso di Science Communication è progettato per sviluppare le competenze di comunicazione degli e delle studenti di dottorato, consentendo loro di trasmettere in modo chiaro, coinvolgente e accessibile i complessi concetti scientifici tipici dell’attività di ricerca a un pubblico più ampio. Durante il corso, gli e le studenti acquisiranno una comprensione delle strategie di comunicazione della scienza, impareranno a tradurre il linguaggio tecnico in un formato comprensibile per il pubblico generale e affineranno le loro abilità nell'utilizzo di diverse piattaforme e strumenti di comunicazione. Dopo un’introduzione sui fondamenti della comunicazione scientifica, verranno affrontati temi quali tecniche di scrittura e l'uso di linguaggio chiaro e accessibile, sviluppo delle abilità di presentazione, comunicazione visuale, uso corretto e d’impatto dei media e social media.
Research funding for post-doctoral positions and funding of research projects - Dr.ssa Francesca Pongiglione
The course provides fundamental guidelines for effectively drafting research projects for postdoctoral positions and securing funding (particularly individual grants) from national and international sources. In particular, the course aims to provide the necessary tools to effectively structure both the scientific content of a research project and its financial aspects (utilization of funds for specialized scientific dissemination activities, missions and conference participation, publications, etc.).
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Elective Seminars:
Digital Art: an interdisciplinary perspective - Prof.ssa Annet Dekker
Impredicativity, Generality, and Abstraction - Dr. Ludovica Conti
Contro la volontà. Il consenso sessuale nel diritto - Dr. Paola Di Nicola Travaglini
Training program a.y. 2023/2024
Please find below the list of seminars and courses for a.y. 2023/2024.
English language course, paper writing and presentation- Prof. Frank Bagg
The course is primarily dedicated to developing students' communication skills in view of their participation as speakers at international conferences and workshops. It focuses on different ways to prepare an effective and understandable PowerPoint presentation, how to develop a philosophical discourse on the developed content, and how to manage the question and answer sessions.
IT course - Dr. Lorenzo Cibrario
The course aims to provide PhD students with methodological and technological knowledge on the use of tools related to office automation, networking, cloud and cyber security. The course will cover the following topics: basic and advanced use of Microsoft Excel, advanced use of Microsoft Word, communication protocols and security protocols, basic elements of computer security, data protection and advanced cyber security techniques.
Gender Equality - Dr. Simone Mattavelli – Dr. Monica Fabbri
Notwithstanding the significant social progresses made in the last decades and the introduction of targeted political interventions, a male-female imbalance persists in modern Western societies. The consequence of this phenomenon, known as gender bias, have been studied at many different levels. For instance, women are underrepresented when it comes to higher leadership positions and numerous studies showed that gender bias in science disciplines and medicine is persistent today. Moreover, gender bias can be expressed in multiple ways, from more blatant to subtle manifestations, such as linguistic expressions adopted in everyday interactions.
Research in social cognition has shown that the roots of gender bias must be searched in the concept stereotype. Stereotypes are nothing else than labels that humans tend to attach to social entities and categories and that drive the way we think and behave. Following a social-cognitive approach, this course aims at providing a better understanding of gender bias by getting to know (i) what gender-stereotypes are; (ii) how they are formed and nourished by our society; (iii) what are their consequences; and (iv) what interventions can help dismantling them.
Finally, the course will include an in-depth analysis dedicated to the "Gender Equality Plan" approved by UniSR.
2 cycles of reading group seminars and text discussion - Prof. Sophie Loidolt - Prof. Robin Jeshion
These are series of invited lectures with the partecipation of outstanding personalities from the national and international philosophical scene on specific topics of interest to first-year PhD students in each new PhD cycle. The topics covered may vary from year to year, as well as the scientific-disciplinary areas involved.
Research Integrity - Prof. Carlo Martini
The course provides a basic overview of the fundamental principles of research integrity, defining research misconduct and questionable research practices. It offers general guidance on addressing the complex issues that may arise during planning, conducting, and reporting research, as well as the functions of the Research Integrity Office. Additionally, it provides essential information on proper authorship attribution
History of philosophy - Prof. Andrea Tagliapietra
“What is the history of ideas?”
1. Difference between history of ideas and history of philosophy;
2. Ideas are "social facts." Denaturalize the activity of thought;
3. Ideology and philosophy. The question of the present;
4. History of ideas, history of concepts, metaphorology;
5. Methodological skepticism. Discussion
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Submission of scientific articles and enhancement of research products - Dr. Bianca Cepollaro
This class provides PhD students with the basic information on how to submit one's research output to journals and publishing companies (papers, chapters, reviews, translations, monographs, etc). The central aim is to provide students with the main tools to succeed in promoting their reaserch results.
Ethics and political philosophy - Prof. Darrel Moellendorf
Series of lectures dedicated to an ethical or philosophical-political theme, with particular attention, on one hand, to the main issues concerning the nature of morality and political obligation, and, on the other hand, to the major contemporary public issues.
Theoretical philosophy and aesthetics- Dr. Giacomo Petrarca
"What Can an Interpretation Do? Some Considerations between Language, Performativity, and Narrative"
What does it mean to interpret? And what are the limits of interpretive practice? Furthermore, do these limits belong to the interpreter or to the nature of the text itself? The seminar will seek to demonstrate the implications of the problem of interpretation on three different fronts: 1) linguistic/hermeneutic, 2) performative/theological-political, 3) historical/narrative. All this, starting from the crisis of interpretation (which becomes a crisis of the very sense of linguistic interpretability) as it emerges from some stories by Franz Kafka, then passing through the latest Freud and his notion of Entstellung, up to Derridean deconstruction.
Epistemology and philosophy of language - Dr. Mara Floris
"Linguistic Relativity: Where Are We Now?"
It is often said that the language we speak influences the way we think. In this course, we will explore what it means to address this issue from an empirical perspective. In doing so, we will deal with topics related to the philosophy of language and issues conserning the philosophy of science.
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Open Science in practice: principles and tools for open access to scientific publications and research data - Dr. Silvia Corbetta - Dr. Marco Soriano
The Open Science approach includes all practices that promote accessibility and transparency at all levels of the research project lifecycle. This course will introduce the core concepts and principles in Open Science (e.g., open access, data sharing) and provide guidelines and tools on how to make scientific publications and research data open, to guarantee reproducibility and societal utility of scientific research. Furthermore, practical information will be provided on how to use the institutional repositories for publications (IRIS) and data (ORDR).
The european research framework: policy, funding programmes and research management - Dr.ssa Federica Prete
The course aims to understand the journey from call topic, developing a project idea, writing a proposal to submission within the Horizon Europe and to provide knowledge and tools for the development of EU research projects. Moreover, the course will present Horizon Europe main features and the ERC and the Marie Curie Programmes. Finally, the course will introduce Citizen Science and how to integrate the this innovative approach into research projects.
Research funding for post-doctoral positions and funding of research projects - Dr.ssa Francesca Pongiglione
The course provides fundamental guidelines for effectively drafting research projects for postdoctoral positions and securing funding (particularly individual grants) from national and international sources. In particular, the course aims to provide the necessary tools to effectively structure both the scientific content of a research project and its financial aspects (utilization of funds for specialized scientific dissemination activities, missions and conference participation, publications, etc.).
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The annual San Raffaele School of Philosophy represents a moment of interdisciplinary scientific exchange and discussion. Each year, the School offers PhD students the opportunity to engage with significant authors from the national and international scientific community on specific research topics, which vary from one edition to another.
PhD inter disciplinary seminars
Today more than ever, scientific research is a complex endeavor that requires wide knowledge outside of the specific context to produce impactful outcomes and help researchers thrive in a highly competitive environment.
This course was created by initiative of the Pro-Rector for scientific research and students together with the Research Policy Office (RPO) to discuss interdisciplinary themes, from the social impact of science to how to handle high-pressure workloads.
The aim is to stimulate critical, out of the box, thinking. The course will feature 3 seminars held by external experts, selected by a committee of PhD students from all 3 courses, coordinated by Monica Fabbri (RPO).
Training program a.y. 2022/2023
Please find below the list of seminars and courses for a.y. 2022/2023.
Language Course
Corso di lingua inglese, redazione paper lingua inglese, presentazione lingua inglese - Prof. Frank Bagg
Informatics Course
Corso di informatica - Prof. Lorenzo Cibrario
Fundamental principles of ethics, gender equality and integrity
Research Integrity - Prof. Carlo Martini
Uguaglianza di Genere - Dr. Simone Mattavelli
Text reading and discussion seminars
1° cicle - Biopolitics and its Apparatuses - Prof. Timothy Campbell
2° cicle - Epistemologia della disinformazione - Prof. Tommaso Piazza e Michel Croce
Seminars
History of philosophy - Prof. Giovanni Bonacina
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The Coming of Age. Personal Identity, Well-Being, and Justice in an Ageing Society
Language Course
Corso di lingua inglese, redazione paper lingua inglese, presentazione lingua inglese - Prof. Frank Bagg
Informatics Course
Corso di informatica - Prof. Lorenzo Cibrario
Seminars
Ethics and political philosophy - Prof. Roberto Mordacci
Theoretical philosophy and aesthetics - Prof.ssa Francesca Forlè
Epistemology and philosophy of language - Prof.ssa Laura Caponetto
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The Coming of Age. Personal Identity, Well-Being, and Justice in an Ageing Society
Enhancement and Exploitation and dissemination of research results
Open Science in practice: principles and tools for open access to scientific publications and research data - Dr. Marco Soriano
Management of research and knowledge of European and international research systems
The european research framework: policy, funding programmes and research management - Dr.ssa Federica Prete
San Raffaele School of Philosophy
The Coming of Age. Personal Identity, Well-Being, and Justice in an Ageing Society