Mario Lupoli

The growing phenomenon of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) represents a significant challenge for society and, even more so, for the world of education itself, even more so for the world of work. According to many educators and philosophers, the reasons why so many young people in various countries are giving up both on continuing their studies and actively seeking employment can often be traced back to a broader sense of mistrust, a profound mistrust that many young people feel towards the future and, indeed, the world as a whole. Yet, human beings do not simply experience the world: they live a vision of the world. From this vision arises their perception of existence, of their capacity to change life and society for the better, and therefore of the possibility that the future may once again appear as a promise rather than a threat. In the face of youthful nihilism, philosophy could offer meaningful paths that lead to a renewed and positive way of being in the world and imagining the future. Education through philosophy can therefore potentially contribute to addressing the widespread phenomena of youth distress and educational impoverishment of our time. In this article, the author presents a case study of a philosophical practices workshop for young NEETs, designed to address participants' self- and worldview, helping to boost their self-esteem and confidence in themselves and their future. This educational experience is framed within a theoretical framework that highlights the transformative and emancipatory potential of philosophy as a radical educational dimension.

The present study addresses the problem of the relationship between mind and body in the thought of the Italian Franciscan philosopher Matthew of Acquasparta (1240–1302). In Question 10 of the Questions on Faith and Knowledge, titled “Whether the Intellect, with Regard to Its Act, Is Bound by the Weakness and Ineptitude of the Body,” Matthew argues that bodily dispositions influence the actuality of the intellect. His reflection is guided by various authorities (auctoritates), foremost among whom is Augustine of Hippo, a general point of reference that the thinker of Acquasparta adopts for his theorization. However, Matthew develops a rigorous line of reasoning in which Aristotle—through whom he also implicitly reinterprets Augustine—as well as Avicenna and al-Ghazālī play crucial roles. The Franciscan philosopher maintains that the body can distract the intellect from properly exercising its function, impairing both the soul’s inward focus and the tranquility required for intellectual activity due to external disturbances. Furthermore, the compromised sensory organs of a sick, aged, or wounded body will provide confused images to the mind, thereby clouding its capacity for understanding. The strong connection between body and mind clarifies the unity of the human person as a composite of soul and body, with significant implications both in anthropology and soteriology, particularly concerning the prospect of the unity between the soul and a finally glorified body, which Christian doctrine awaits in the resurrection at the end of time.