PHBD2 History of Philosophy II

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Josef Petrželka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Josef Petrželka, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 12:00–13:40 A11, except Mon 21. 4. to Sun 27. 4.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The lecture continues the course History of Philosophy I and deals with the most important thinkers, streams and problems in the philosophy from the age of Hellenism to the High Middle Ages.
The aim is to show how the thought of late antiquity and the medieval thought is inspired by older systems - especially by that of Plato and that of Aristotle - and how these older systems are transformed.
The practical aim of the course is to introduce students to the basics of writing professional texts (including the Bachelor's thesis) and to practice this skill as part of exam preparation during the semester through team projects. A secondary goal of the project aspect of the course is the gradual creation of a "library" of student texts that will provide future students with a brief summary of significant source texts from a given period in the history of philosophy.
Learning outcomes
After the completion of the course, students should be able to:
- explain the basic problems of philosophy of late antiquity and of the medieval philosophy;
- locate the thinkers of these epochs in the context of history of thinking;
- reproduce an account from source text for these epochs;
- explain the content of the source text;
- apply basic norms of scientific writing in own processing of text.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the project level of the course and the organisation of project groups
  • 2. Hellenistic philosophical schools.
  • 3. The Neo-Platonism.
  • 4. The Christian philosophy in antiquity.
  • 5. Between ancient and medieval philosophy.
  • 6. Presentation of projects related to source texts relevant to the previous topics. Reflection on the projects in terms of meeting the requirements as preparation for the examination.
  • 7. An introduction to medieval philosophy.
  • 8. Logic and language in medieval philosophy.
  • 9. The problem of universals.
  • 10. Metaphysics and ethics in medieval philosophy.
  • 11. Proofs of the existence of God.
  • 12. Presentation of the remaining projects. Final reflection on the project activity and discussion of the exam content.
Literature
    required literature
  • PETRŽELKA, Josef. Čítanka antických a středověkých filosofických textů (The reading-book of ancient and medieval philosophical texts). 1. vydání. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2014, 172 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6902-2. Digitální knihovna FF MU info
    recommended literature
  • MARCUS AURELIUS, Antoninus. Hovory k sobě. Translated by Rudolf Kuthan. Ve Svobodě vydání I. Praha: Svoboda, 1969, 191 stran. info
  • DIOGENÉS LAERTIOS. Životy, názory a výroky proslulých filosofů. Vyd. 2. Pelhřimov: Nová tiskárna, 1995, 473 s. ISBN 80-901916-3-0. info
  • O klidu. Translated by Petr Rezek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Rezek, 1997, 195 s. ISBN 80-86027-06-6. info
  • BOËTHIUS, Anitius Manlius Torquatu. Filosofie utěšitelka. Translated by Josef Hrůša. Vyd. 1. V Olomouci: Votobia, 1995, 217 s. ISBN 80-7198-021-8. info
  • ANSELM, Saint. Proslogion (Obsaž.) : Fides quaerens intellectum. info
  • ABÉLARD, Pierre. Ano a ne. Translated by Irena Zachová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2008, 581 s. ISBN 9788070217917. info
  • SOUSEDÍK, Stanislav. Jsoucno a bytí :úvod do četby sv. Tomáše Akvinského. Vyd. 1. Praha: Křesťanská akademie, 1992, 107 s. ISBN 80-900615-8-3. info
  • PETRŽELKA, J. Dějiny filosofie II. Elportál [online]. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, vyd. 6. 10. 2010 [cit. 2010-10-06]. Dostupné z WWW: http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=901291. ISSN 1802-128X.
  • HEINZMANN, Richard. Středověká filosofie. Přeložil B. Horyna. 1st ed. Olomouc: Olomouc, 2000, 351 pp. ISBN 80-7182-105-5. info
  • Libera, Alain de. Středověká filosofie: La philosophie médiévale (Orig.). Vyd. 1. Praha: Oikoymenh 2001.
  • FLOSS, Pavel. Úvod do dějin středověkého myšlení. Vyd. 1. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého, 1994, 153 s. ISBN 8070673532. info
  • PIEPER, Josef. Scholastika : osobnosti a náměty středověké filosofie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1993, 146 s. ISBN 8070211318. info
  • Texty k studiu dějin středověké filosofie. Edited by Stanislav Sousedík. 1. vyd. Praha: Karlova univerzita, 1994, 176 s. ISBN 80-7066-877-6. info
  • PIEPER, Josef. Tomáš Akvinský : život a dílo. Translated by Martin Pokorný. Vyd. ve Vyšehradu 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1997, 159 s. ISBN 8070212241. info
  • KENNY, Anthony John Patrick. Tomáš Akvinský. Translated by Josef Hošek - Jiří Polívka - Stanislav Sousedík. Vyd. 1. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a politiku, 1993, 107 s. ISBN 80-85241-25-0. info
Teaching methods
Lectures. On-line study text, on-line tests. Description and demonstration of written work. Mandatory team project.
Assessment methods
A prerequisite for submitting a text for the exam and subsequently passing the exam is participation in the team's project activity and presentation of the team's project results.

The (individual) oral examination itself will take the form of a discussion of the content (and specifics of the professional text) of the written work. For more detailed requirements, see the course "History of Philosophy II" in ELF.


The key for entering the course in ELF is: 2025-DF_II


The exam will take about 15-20 minutes. It will start with your presentation of the content of your written work (5 minutes), then you will answer questions about the content and form of your work.

The final grade will take into account both the quality of the written work and the performance in the oral examination.
Náhradní absolvování
The course cannot be taken as an alternative.
Language of instruction
Czech
Study support
https://elf.phil.muni.cz/24-25/course/view.php?id=789
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Studentům kombinovaného studijního programu je doporučeno zapsat si současně předmět PHV2302 Dějiny filozofie II: otázky a odpovědi.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: kombinovaná forma: 16 hodin/semestr.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
http://is.muni.cz/elportal/?id=901291
You can find the teaching materials for this course at the web address listed above.

The course takes place in the form of lectures, the student's duties consist of participating in a team project and then writing a written paper that will be submitted to the ELF and subject to an oral examination.

You can use the electronic version when writing your written work for the exam Čítanky antických a středověkých filosofických textů.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2026.
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