Nadia Moro
*Assistant Professor at the School of Philosophy
* at HSE since 2014
How did it happen that you came to Russia?
It was unexpected. As I filed my application for a position at HSE, I did not know how many chances I would have. If I had known how many other applicants there were, I would even not have applied. But I was willing to live in a country I knew only through literature, history, and a course on Russian language and literature that I attended as a student at Milan years ago. My surprise was great when I was invited for the interview and then offered a position. So, here I am.
Did you have any expectations about Russia? Were the expectations true?
May I confess that this winter has not in the least been as severe as I expected? Also, I did not expect I would almost always find some vegetarian solution in canteens and restaurants, but this is the case.
Seriously, I have come to work, learn Russian language and get to know Russian culture from within. As to Russian language and culture, I am making some progress in my spare time and thanks to my new local friends. At work, I am glad that I am expected to concentrate on research: this is what makes my job fascinating and grants me considerable autonomy.
Do you have a story about how the difference in mindset, language, cultural norms and values have lead to an interesting situation?
If I had a story, Normalno would be its title. At the end of my very first class with Russian students, I wished to know their impression: normal was their reply. It took me a few seconds to realise that it was the literal translation of the Russian normalno and did not necessarily mean as boring as usual. Russian understatement, if I may call it like this, is something I still have to get used to.
What are the courses you are teaching now at HSE?
I have taught seminars for undergraduates and postgraduates, and gave a lecture at the Winter School of the Faculty of Humanities. Corresponding to my specialisation, in my courses I have focused on the interactions between philosophy and the sciences (psychology, physiology, linguistics) in the 19th and 20th centuries. This happened to surprise some of my students, but I am convinced that, after Kant, philosophy has a critical task to accomplish with regard to the sciences, forms of knowledge and culture.
The area of your scientific interests is various and challenging. Could you please say a few words about, for instance, music theory and philosophy?
My research revolves around the categories and criteria we use in perception and knowledge. Music theory is relevant to this topic because, for instance, it shows that space and time are not always sufficient conditions to identify objects. If we consider some musical sound, lets say the chord c - e - g (do, mi, sol), we cannot distinguish c, e, and g from each other based on space or time. C, e, and g are not in different places and they resound at the same time. What criterion do we need, then, to distinguish them as different notes? And to what extent does the chord (or a melody) c - e - g, considered as a whole object, differ from the mere sum of the notes c, e, and g? These are some philosophical issues that can be discussed on the basis of music theory (and music psychology).
