This is the inaugural session of the Dante and Arabic Philosophy Lecture Series organized by Akash Kumar (UC Berkeley) and Pier Mattia Tommasino (Columbia).
Dante and Arabic Philosophy
A Columbia University and UC Berkeley Joint Seminar
Organized by
Pier Mattia Tommasino (Columbia, Italian) and
Akash Kumar (UC Berkeley, Italian Studies)
First Session:
Thursday, February 16, 2023
1:00 pm (EST)
Via Zoom
In Italian
L’Ordine dell’Universo nella “Commedia”
with
Sebastiano Italia (University of Catania)
and
Susanna Barsella (Fordham University)
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| Thursday, February 16, 1:00pm EST, via Zoom, In Italian
L’Ordine dell’Universo nella “Commedia”
Presenter: Sebastiano Italia (University of Catania)
Respondent: Susanna Barsella (Fordham University)
In Paradiso 2, Dante argues that the dark spots on the moon are the result of the metaphysical and intrinsic essence of this celestial body and not a lack of physical matter. The poet begins to demonstrate his hypothesis using universal principles. His argument of the vivifying virtue of the cosmos radiating from heaven to earth, which illustrates the idea of the One emanating into the Many, has an undeniable Neoplatonic origin. Following the example of Avicenna, transmitted through Albert the Great, Dante attempts to reconcile the contradictions between Christian creationism and Emanationism. In doing so, he gives to human reason the task to restore the order of the cosmos, the harmony, and the beauty of the universe. |
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| Please save the date for the two following sessions of the joint seminar:
Thursday, March 9, 12:15pm EST, via Zoom, in English
Limbo’s Five Surprises: Avicenna in Dante’s Divina Commedia
Presenter: Amos Bertolacci (Scuola IMT Alti Studi Lucca)
Respondent: Teodolinda Barolini (Columbia University)
Thursday, April 13, 12:15pm EDT, via Zoom, in English
The Fleeting Flash of Prophetic Vision from al-Ġazālī to Dante
Presenter: Marco Signori (Scuola IMT Alti Studi Lucca)
Respondent: Sarah bin Tyeer (Columbia University) |
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Co-sponsored by the Italian Mediterranean Colloquium (CU), the European Institute (CU), the Department of Italian (CU), the Center for the Study of Muslim Societies (CU),
and the Department of Italian Studies (UCB)
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