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Thinking for action: philosophers drive innovation in the world of business and consulting

Do we need a philosopher in business? The answer is yes
Philosophical Knowledge

Not only (must-have) technical skills: today's companies, called upon to meet the challenges of change and innovation, also need a different background, a mix of open-mindedness, broad scope and strategic vision: the Americans call it the "helicopter view." Employing people with a philosophical background can help greatly in leading the company through the processes of transformation, updating and change. A need that has become urgent in these times when data processing and artificial intelligence are dominating.

During the press conference "Thinking for action: philosophy in business, but not only" organized by the Department of Letters, Philosophy and Communication at UniBg, the new master's degree course in "Philosophical Knowledge: Foundations, Methods, Applications" an inter-university course delivered entirely in English (the first in Italy with this feature) was presented, which sees the University of Bergamo working in synergy with the University of Pavia and the Institute of Advanced University Education (IUSS) in Pavia.

Why choose this course?
  • The degree course leans towards an international teaching approach: every year, six renowned foreign philosophers, true authorities in their respective research areas, are invited to cooperate as professors in the training of students on the course, thus opening the course up to the cross-fertilisation of innovative teaching methods and teacher-student interaction.
  • It is characterised by a new and profound focus on the applied dimensions of philosophical knowledge, methods and practices, in the assumption that rationality models, conceptual analysis tools and rational argumentation techniques must play an increasingly central role in decision-making and problem-solving processes in the economic, technological, business, political and social spheres in the broadest sense.
  • With this in mind, the degree programme integrates the fundamental disciplines of philosophical enquiry with a number of scientific and technological disciplines within its teaching offering, opening up a whole range of further professional outlets for students. The areas studied include: metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, ethics, the philosophy of science, mind, logic and mathematics, together with scientific-technological subjects such as economics and business management, robotics, artificial intelligence, the neuroscience of decision-making, technology transfer and the environmental and economic challenges of sustainability.