Ateneo - UPO

Reasoning processes underlying disinformation: hate speech, conspiracies, and fake news

ATTENDING AND NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

1) C. Bianchi, Hate Speech, Laterza, Roma, 2001
) T.Piazza, M. Croce, Che cosa sono le fake news, Carocci, Roma, 2023

2) -Additional texts provided by the professor

To achieve competence concerning the processes of construction and dissemination of disinformation, especially through mass media
To make the student competent and autonomous in the application of the notions and methodologies learned, enabling him or her to develop an autonomous argumentative style in philosophical and extra-philosophical domains. These competence are a necessary condition for understanding the argumentative structure of philosophical, scientific, and normative essays, and to improve one's communicative effectiveness.
Advanced level: the student must demonstrate full knowledge of the course content and be able to articulate and communicate it with rigour, autonomy and originality.

Proficiency in Italian

Frontal lessons + lectures

The final exam is aimed at verifying the mastery of the topics discussed and the bibliography studied, in accordance with the objectives and the expected learning outcomes.
The examination will be in written form (90 minutes).
Specifically, the three questions will focus on: 1 a 2) the theoretical bases of disinformation (massimo 20 points), and 3) an example, to be developed or discussed (max. 10 points)
The tests will consist of 3 open-ended questions, having as a topic one of the topics discussed during the lessons, for a maximum of 10 points each. The student will have to answer the questions and argue using the appropriate scientific terminology.
The exam will be successful if the sum of 18/30 is reached or exceeded. An assignment with an exhaustive answer to the three questions will be assigned the maximum score (30/30) with possible attribution of honors.

The conceptual tools provided by twentieth-century philosophy of language and contemporary cognitive science will provide useful lenses for examining the phenomena of hate speech and misinformation

Knowledge and understanding:
- to know contemporary hate speech phenomena and reflect on their causes
- to know contemporary disinformation phenomena and reflect on their causes
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- to improve one's argumentative skills
- to strengthen one's defenses against disinformation of all kinds
Communication skills:
- to know how to make consistent and appropriate use of philosophical terminology related to the theory of language acts
- to improve one's communication skills on issues crucial to contemporary society
Learning skills:
- to combine the learning of abstract notions with the personal practice of autonomous argumentative form

In order to fully attain these objectives, the student must demonstrate full knowledge of the course content and be able to articulate and communicate it with rigour and originality.