Examination procedure
Oral examination; Seminar presentation.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are required.
Syllabus
In recent years, interdisciplinary research programmes such as the Anthropology of Images and the Visual Studies of Science have testified to a growing interest in the epistemic value of images, not only within art history and aesthetics, but also in the history of science and cultural studies. The course explores the status of images through a comparison between classical philosophical perspectives—which, following Plato, have often emphasized their defective character on both ontological and epistemological grounds—and approaches developed within contemporary disciplines and research programmes, which instead highlight the crucial social, cultural, and cognitive functions of images.
Bibliographical references
During the first lesson, a bibliography of the works discussed during the course will be provided. Here are some useful studies to help you understand the content:
Daston L., Galison P., Objectivity, Zone Books 2007
Jones C., Galison P. (eds), Picturing Science, Producing Art, Psychology Press 1998
Latour B., Weibel P. (eds), Iconoclash: Beyond the image wars in science, religion, and art, MIT Press 2002
Mitchell W.J.T., Scienza delle immagini. Iconologia, cultura visuale ed estetica dei media, Johan & Levi 2018
Pinotti A., Somaini A., Cultura visuale. Immagini, sguardi, media, dispositivi, Einaudi 2016