The Interdepartmental Centre for Research in Medieval Philosophy “Carlo Giacon” (hereafter: CIRFIM) was established June 6, 2013 by the Rector of the University of Padua, Italy (decree Rep. 1474/2013) and is active from 1 November 2013. By decree Rep. 199/2017 signed by the Rector on 14 June 2017, CIRFIM was renewed for a four-year term starting on 6 June 2017. By Decree Rep. 1140/2021 signed by the Rector on 24 March 2021, the duration of CIRFIM was extended until 30 November 2021. By subsequent Decree Rep. 3250/2021 signed by the Rector on 16 September 2021, the extension was extended to 31 December 2021, subject to further extension. By decree Rep. 2929/2022 signed by the Rector on 15 July 2022, the CIRFIM was renewed for a further four-year period.
CIRFIM was born as a continuation of an older homonymous Centre, which was founded by Carlo Giacon in 1964 and was renovated several times over the years. Giacon (1900-1984), a neo-Thomistic philosopher, was Professor of History of Philosophy at the University of Padua from 1958 to 1976. In addition to the Centre for Research in Medieval Philosophy, Giacon was also the founder of the journal “Medioevo. Rivista di storia della filosofia medievale” and of the Gallarate Centre for Philosophical Studies, and the coordinator of the first two editions of the Enciclopedia filosofica (Milan-Venice 1957-58; Florence 1968-69).
The specific aims of CIRFIM are essentially three:
(a) to promote and coordinate research activities relating to medieval thought in all its various forms of expression;
(b) to facilitate communication, integration, and development of knowledge among scholars working in different scientific fields;
(c) to acquire and manage resources outside the university system in order to support research on topics of interest to CIRFIM.