OVp001N History of Plilosophy 1 - lecture

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Matúš Porubjak, PhD. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Jemelka, Dr.
Department of Civics – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jitka Autratová
Supplier department: Department of Civics – Faculty of Education
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
Abstract
In this course, students will become acquainted with the key figures and fundamental issues of ancient and medieval philosophy, from Thales to Thomas Aquinas. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to explain the basic philosophical problems and characterize the thinking of the main figures in the history of early philosophy.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to explain fundamental philosophical problems, characterize the thought of major figures from the history of early philosophy, and interpret selected key philosophical texts.
Key topics
1. Cultural and historical context of the emergence of Greek philosophy; the relationship between myth and philosophy; the Milesians 2. Ionian and Italian branches of philosophical thought; Parmenides and Heraclitus 3. The Sophists and Socrates 4. Plato – epistemology and ontology (Ideas, the allegories of the sun, the divided line, and the cave) 5. Plato – ethics, psychology, and politics 6. Aristotle – metaphysics and theory of knowledge 7. Hellenism – the character of the era, Hellenistic science, Hellenistic philosophical schools 8. Hellenism – Stoics, Epicureans, Skeptics – similarities and differences, therapeutic aspects 9. Neoplatonism (Plotinus); the One, the Intellect, the Soul, and Matter 10. Specific features of medieval Christian philosophy and its key themes (the problem of universals, proofs of God's existence) 11. Augustine – Christian Platonism, a new understanding of time, the City of God and the Earthly City Thomas Aquinas – the relationship between reason and faith, reinterpretation of Aristotle’s ontology and anthropology
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • Skripta z Dějin filozofie 1: Od Thaléta po Tomáše (pracovní skripta dostupné v části "studijní literatura")
  • Texty pro seminář z předmětu PdF: OVp001N Dějiny filozofie 1 (pracovní texty dostupné v části "studijní literatura")
  • TRETERA, Ivo. Nástin dějin evropského myšlení : (od Thaleta k Rousseauovi). 2. rozš. vyd. Praha: Paseka, 1999, 374 s. ISBN 8071852430. info
    recommended literature
  • KRATOCHVÍL, Zdeněk. Mýtus, filosofie, věda. 2. nezměn. vyd. Praha: Hrnčířství a nakladatelství Michal Jůza & Eva Jůzová, 1995, 314 s. +. ISBN 80-7111-021-3. info
  • BRUGGER, Walter. Filosofický slovník. 1. vyd. Praha: Naše vojsko, 1994, 639 s. ISBN 802060409X. info
  • HORYNA, Břetislav. Filosofický slovník. Olomouc: Olomouc, 1998. ISBN 80-7182-064-4. info
  • BLECHA, Ivan. Filosofie. 4. opr. a rozš. vyd. Olomouc: Nakladatelství Olomouc, 2002, 279 s. ISBN 80-7182-147-0. info
    not specified
  • https://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=2076
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lecture and seminar
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Completion: A midterm written test focused on the identification of authors of assigned texts. Attendance Policy: A maximum of two excused absences from seminars is permitted. Each additional absence will result in a deduction of one point from the midterm test score.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024, Autumn 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2026, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2026/OVp001N