ESF:BPH_ZAFI Introduction to Philosophy - Course Information

BPH_ZAFI Introduction to Philosophy

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. PhDr. Ing. Josef Šmajs, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Marek Timko, Ph.D. (assistant)

Guaranteed by

doc. PhDr. Božena Šmajsová Buchtová, CSc.
Department of Business Management – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Vlasta Radová

Timetable

Tue 14:35–16:15 P101, Tue 14:35–16:15 P102, Tue 14:35–16:15 P106

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• Business Management (Eng.) (programme ESF, M-EKM)
• Business Management (programme ESF, B-EKM)

Course objectives

The course covers four topics, the first of which – the history of philosophy - builds on social science subjects taught at secondary school. The other thematic units are parts of today’s systematic philosophy elaborated by the author: ontology of evolution, evolutionary gnoseology, philosophy of technology. The second part, i.e. evolutionary ontology, forms the theoretical basis for interpreting evolutionary gnoseology and philosophy of technology. All these parts comprehensibly show what is nature and natural evolution, and what is culture as opposed to nature (civilization) and socio-cultural evolution. Interpretation, which is based on knowledge and theories of current system of sciences, explains not only the natural and cultural evolution, but also a less known problem of ontic information and the role of information in open non-linear systems: the systems of living and culture. Also the problem of knowledge is not interpreted traditionally, which means obtaining information from the external environment of man, but evolutionarily ontologically, that is, as ontic procedure, through which open non-linear systems acquire and use information for their own growth and reproduction. The part of philosophy of technology interprets two lines of technological development (biotic and abiotic), the problem of evolution of technology, conflict and biosphere and technosphere and little-known abiotic agricultural technology and information.

Main objectives can be summarized as follows:
- Become familiar with classical philosophical tradition and the main problems of traditional philosophy
- Master interpretation of evolutionarily ontological concept of existential conflict of culture and nature
- Cope with problems of evolutional gnoseology issues including the ontic role of knowledge
- Cope with the problem of philosophical interpretation of technology and technosphere
- Refine students’ theoretical thinking

Syllabus

• Thematic plan of the course:
• 1. Introduction
• 2. What is philosophy, philosophic disciplines, particularity of the philosophic method, relationships between philosophy and science, philosophy and religion, philosophy and art, philosophy and politics
• 3. Antique philosophy, medieval and Renaissance philosophy, main streams, authors and problems
• 4. Modern philosophy, great systems of the 17th century, enlightenment, positivism, English empiricism, German classic philosophy, Marxian and existential philosophy, philosophy of language, philosophy of American pragmatism, hermeneutics, analytical philosophy
• 5. Ontology as the theory of existence, history and meaning, Greek and medieval ontology, ontology of mechanic materialism, existential ontology, critical ontology by N. Hartmann
• 6. Evolutionary ontology, general characteristic, relationship between existence and events, evolution, two ontic rules, two types of ontic orderliness
• 7. Evolutionary ontology, open linear systems, information, ontic role of information
• 8. Check test
• 9. Evolutionary gnoseology, what is the knowledge, biological and cultural background of knowledge, language as a phenomenon of culture
• 10. Evolutionary gnoseology, general and scientific knowledge, ontic role of knowledge
• 11. Evolutionary gnoseology, problem of the truth, criteria of the truth, problem of compatibility
• 12. Philosophy of technology, what is technology, two lines of technology, evolution of technology
• 13. Philosophy of technology, productive, consumer and information technology, conflict between biosphere and technosphere.

Literature

• STÖRIG, Hans Joachim. Malé dějiny filosofie. Edited by Petr Rezek, Translated by Miroslav Petříček - Karel Šprunk. Vyd 8., V KNA 2. Kostelní Vydří: Karmelitánské nakladatelství, 2007, 653 s. ISBN 9788071952060. info
• ŠMAJS, Josef. Základy systematické filosofie. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita v Brně, 2006, 251 s. ISBN 8021041013. info
• ŠMAJS, Josef. Základy systematické filosofie (The Basics of Systematic Philosophy). 1st ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2005, 255 pp. Masarykova univerzita, 1. ISBN 80-210-3871-3. info
• ŠMAJS, Josef and Josef KROB. Evoluční ontologie (Evolutionary ontology). Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2003, 400 pp. ISBN 80-210-3038-0. info
• ŠMAJS, Josef. Filosofie psaná kurzívou. Rozhlasové ekologické eseje (Philosophy written in italic. Broadcast ecological essays). první. Brno: Jan Šabata, Doplněk, 2003, 117 pp. ISBN 80-7239-152-6. URL info
• HAWKEN, Paul, Amory B. LOVINS and L. Hunter LOVINS. Přírodní kapitalismus : jak se rodí další průmyslová revoluce. Vyd. 1. Praha: Mladá fronta, 2003, 476 s. ISBN 8020410783. info
• BLECHA, Ivan. Filosofie. 3. opr. a rozš. vyd. Olomouc: Nakladatelství Olomouc, 1998, 239 s. ISBN 80-7182-069-5. info

Teaching methods

The class consists of lectures joined with discussions and seminars. Students are obliged to hand in one assignmnet during a semester.

Assessment methods

The mid-term written test consists of two questions which must be answered within with 15-minute time limit. The test is assessed on scale passed - failed. The student must be evaluated "pass" in the mid-term test in order to be able to sit the final test.
Final test contains three questions which must be answered within 30-minute time limit. Final test is assessed on scale from A to F.
If a student succeeds in the written test and wants to improve classification, it is possible to sign up for an oral exam.
If student commits a prohibited act, such as usage of various forbidden tools, cribbing, taking out any part of the exam or any other cheating, teacher is allowed to interrupt an exam and to grade a student with F, FF or FFF according to the seriousness of the offence. Mentioned procedure relates to all the activities that are included to the final evaluation of the course (seminar work, essays, tests etc.).

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Nezapisují si studenti, kteří absolvovali předmět PHZAFI.
Information on course enrolment limitations: max. 20 cizích studentů; cvičení pouze pro studenty ESF

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/autumn2009/BPH_ZAFI