PhD in PHILOSOPHY

The PhD in Philosophy at Rome Tor Vergata enhances and deepens studies in philosophy, serving as a period for refining historiographical research methods, text interpretation, problem discussion, and the development of original research. The doctoral program at Roma Tor Vergata has an international, inter- and multidisciplinary character, aiming to facilitate the acquisition of high-level knowledge and skills in various fields of fundamental and applied philosophical research. A cornerstone of the training is the acquisition of a high capacity for textual analysis and comprehension. It prioritizes the following thematic paths: fundamental themes and methods of logic and theoretical philosophy; studies of the historical dimensions of thought, both concerning the transformation of philosophical categories and the hermeneutic and critical analysis of philosophical texts; issues in theoretical and applied ethics, as well as political and social philosophy. Additionally, it seeks to foster intercultural dialogue and explore aesthetic concerns both independently and in their intersections with literary, artistic, and scientific domains; it also promotes the study of issues connecting philosophy to the natural, logical, and social sciences and to the philosophy of mind. It provides the tools to understand the complexity of cultural and social processes and enhances the ability to grasp the trends and developments of new economic, social, and political subjects.

To this end, the PhD course in Philosophy at Roma Tor Vergata guarantees high-level research facilities and expertise, based on:

• International research and teaching collaborations with: l’Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne; Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg ; CNR - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC); Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn; All Souls College, Oxford; New School for Social Research and Eugene Lang College ;
• on the conclusion of the following international agreements:
  • agreement of a Joint Doctorate with the Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (https://dottoratoinfilosofiauniroma2.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/accord-paris-roma.pdf);
  • agreement of a Joint Doctorate with the l’Universidade de Brasília (https://dottoratoinfilosofiauniroma2.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/diplomacao_multipla_urtv_portugues_1assinado.pdf);
  • agreement of a Joint Doctorate with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (https://dottoratoinfilosofiauniroma2.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/accord_uam_roma_tv___20240305_002_para_firmar_italia.pdf).

PhD course in Philosophy at Roma Tor Vergata has highly qualified departmental and university facilities for doctoral training.

General organisation of the course
Reading and exegesis of a classic of Western philosophy
Members of the PhD board of professors will focus on the reading of a classic of Western philosophy (such as Aristotle, Physics; Hegel, The Phenomenology of Spirit and so on) offering multidisciplinary exegetical perspectives, methodological insights, observations concerning philosophical historiography, and connections to current debates. Course attendance is mandatory for first- and second- year doctoral students, serving as a crucial testing ground for their intellectual training.
 
Organization, spaces, and topics of philosophy
The PhD board selects a topic that spans the entire history of Western philosophy (for example: the philosophical debate on science and pseudo-science, the concept of nature and its transformations, etc.). A cycle of 10 lectures will be organized with the purpose of approaching the selected topic from multiple perspectives (historical, philological, aesthetic, logical, etc.) including those offered by the so-called “hard sciences”. Some lectures will be delivered by qualified scholars from other institutions. This activity aims to reconstruct the specific background of the addressed topic and, at the same time, indicate possible points of contact with seemingly unrelated contexts.
Students are expected to gain awareness of the diachronic dynamics of the history of ideas and familiarity with the articulations of the European intellectual lexicon.
 
Philosophy and science: multidisciplinary pathways
The seminar is conducted from an interdisciplinary perspective involving mathematicians, scientists, antiquists, medievalists, and philosophers. The general purpose is to address studies and research on ancient and modern science in their constant genetic relationships and mutual influence with philosophy. Research on mathematics, medicine, physics, music, geography, etc. can be carried out in the most fruitful way by bringing together specific and sectorial expertise.
Regarding this doctoral activity, we intend to foster formal collaborations with colleagues and research centres in Italy and abroad.
 
Activities organized by PhD students
These seminars are coordinated by PhD students on topics directly related to their researches upon approval of the supervisors.
 
Seminars on various subjects
These seminars are organized by PhD supervisors in collaboration with the doctorate Coordinator. Lectures will target subjects related to specific research carried out by the doctoral students.
Covered topics can change yearly and are determined by the board members according to the specific needs of the students.

 

The objectives

The PhD program in Philosophy aims at training scholars capable of providing original and innovative contributions in specific research areas and who are, at the same time, able to identify and explore the points of connection of philosophical discussion with other humanistic and scientific disciplines. The doctoral program has an international and interdisciplinary character and aims at fostering the acquisition of high-level knowledge and skills in the various fields of fundamental and applied philosophical research. It privileges the following thematic paths: fundamental themes and methods of theoretical philosophy; studies of the historical dimensions of thought, both in terms of the transformation of philosophical categories and the hermeneutic and critical analysis of philosophical texts; issues of theoretical and applied ethics, as well as political and social philosophy, also with the aim of promoting intercultural dialogue; aesthetic issues, as such and in their interactions with the literary, artistic and scientific field; problems and issues linking philosophy to the natural, formal and social sciences; issues of logic and philosophy of mind.

The doctoral training, in line with the principles and guidelines shared at European level, allows to

- conceive, plan, implement and adapt research or innovation programs autonomously;

- conduct critical analyses, evaluations and syntheses of new and complex ideas and processes in research institutions, production systems, public administration and private professions;

- contribute, thanks to the acquisition of new scientific and transversal skills, to the pursuit of sustainable development objectives and their applications in European policies;

 - provides for the acquisition of transversal skills in order to facilitate their application and development in scientific and professional fields.

The following internal procedures for the continuous evaluation and monitoring of doctoral training are defined:

• periodic evaluation of training projects;
• passage-of-year tests;
• writing of papers (with evaluation),
• international seminars open to Italian and foreign scholars dedicated to the discussion of doctoral students’ research.