PHV485 Vilem Flusser, selected chapters from work

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024

The course is not taught in Autumn 2024

Extent and Intensity
1/1. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Eva Batličková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Marek Picha, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Romance Languages and Literatures – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
basic orientation in philosophical terms
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
there are 11 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to present the philosophical thinking of Vilém Flusser, an important intelectual of Czech origin, to whom little attention is paid in our country. The course will be conceived chronologically and thematically in order to map Flusser's thought development, philosophical influences and deeper context. We will proceed from his phenomenological beginnings under the sign of Husserl's and Heidegger's critique of Western rationality, continue with an analysis of his language theory, and end the course with a reflection on his works from a mature period devoted to the theory of communication.
Learning outcomes
After the course conclusion, the student will be able to:
- to summarize the basic aspects of Flusser's thinking
- place Flusser in the wider context of world philosophy
- identify problems that make it difficult to understand his work
Syllabus
  • 1. Vilém Flusser in interwar Prague: the cultural influence of the Czech environment between the two world wars on the formation of his thinking; Flusser's play Saul; influence of German philosophy: Husserl, Heidegger, Buber, Benjamin, Wittgenstein, Popper.
  • 2. Brazilian exile, social engagement and the question of responsibility: a critique of modern rationality (To the third and fourth generations, The History of the Devil); "philosophy of immigration" (Phenomenology of Brazilianness: the search for a new man).
  • 3. Theory of language: Flusser's theory of language as an effort to connect analytic philosophy and existentialism (Language and Reality, Doubt, series of lectures from Sao Paulo); phenomenology; the influence of Jewish mysticism.
  • 4. Essay, dialogicity, subversion: the form of Flusser's works as a key to understanding his philosophy: absence of citations and bibliography, distortion of data, emotional coloring of texts, hidden "instructions" for reading, etc.
  • 5. Communication theory and technical images: Flusser's theory of communication and technical images in the context of his theory of language and critique of modern rationality.
  • 6. Philosophical fiction: distortion of reality as a necessary condition for its understanding ("real maps do not exist, and if they did, they would be useless"); collaboration with Louis Bec (epistemological problem of models).
Literature
    required literature
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Jazyk a skutečnost. Translated by Karel Palek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Triáda, 2005, 198 s. ISBN 8086138542. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Do universa technických obrazů. 1. vyd. Praha: Občanské sdružení pro podporu výtvarného umění, 2001, 162 s. ISBN 8023875698. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Postdějiny. Translated by Petr Bláha. V Mělníku: Přestupní stanice, 2018, 122 stran. ISBN 9788027044764. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Bezedno : filosofická autobiografie. Translated by Josef Kosek - Božena Koseková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Hynek, 1998, 225 s. ISBN 8085906910. info
    recommended literature
  • HUSSERL, Edmund. Krize evropských věd a transcendentální fenomenologie : úvod do fenomenologické filosofie. Edited by Jan Patočka, Translated by Oldřich Kuba. Vydání třetí, rozšíře. Praha: Academia, 2024, 615 stran. ISBN 9788020033130. info
  • BENJAMIN, Walter. Původ německé truchlohry. Translated by Martin Pokorný. V tomto překladu vydání p. Praha: Malvern, 2016, 270 stran. ISBN 9788075300584. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Za filosofii fotografie. Translated by Josef Kosek - Božena Koseková. Vydání druhé, upravené. Praha: Fra, 2013, 104 stran. ISBN 9788086603797. info
  • SCHOLEM, Gershom Gerhard. Počátky kabaly. Translated by Mirko Beneš. Vyd. 1. Praha: Malvern, 2009, 394 s. ISBN 9788086702520. info
  • BAUMAN, Zygmunt. Modernita a holocaust. Translated by Jana Ogrocká. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2003, 331 s. ISBN 80-86429-23-7. info
  • HEIDEGGER, Martin. Bytí a čas. Translated by Ivan Chvatík. 2., opr. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2002, 487 s. ISBN 8072980483. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém. Komunikológia. Bratislava: Mediálný inštitut, 2002, 253 s. ISBN 8096877003. info
  • WITTGENSTEIN, Ludwig. Tractatus logico-philosophicus. Translated by Jiří Fiala. 1. vyd. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a politiku, 1993, 229 s. ISBN 80-85241-30-7. info
  • FLUSSER, Vilém and Louis BEC. Vampyroteuthis infernalis : Eine Abhandlung samt Befund des Institut Scientifique de Recherche Paranaturaliste. 2. Auflage. Göttingen: European Photography, 1993, 65 s. ISBN 3923283237. info
Teaching methods
lectures, readings, debates on specific topics presented in the class
Assessment methods
activity in class, final essay on the given topic
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every other week.
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/PHV485