Course: Philosophy of media

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Course title Philosophy of media
Course code KFHS/B366
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminary
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional, Optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Pokorný Vít, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1) Technooptimis vs technopessimis 2) The essence of technology: M. Heidegger 3) Extension and media tetrad: M. McLuhan 4) Technology, media, velocity and war: P. Virilio 5) New Media: L. Manovich 6) Gramophone, film, typewriter: F. Kittler 7) Simulation, simulakra, disappearing reality: J. Baudrillard 8) Reality of massmedia: N. Luhmann 9) Aparatus: M. Foucault, V. Flusser, G. Agamben 10) Fourh revolution: L. Floridi 11) Critical theory and media 12) Semiotics and media 13) Presentation of outcomes

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The aim of the lectures is an introduction to the philosophy of media. Our main topic won't be the content of the communication, but the essence of media and their relation to society and culture. The philosophy of media is based on M. McLuhan's famous sentence: "Medium is the message." A medium as such (a picture, a sound, a text, a movie strip) contains a message about what we are as humans, how do our society and culture work, and what is our relation to reality. Lectures have four basic goals: 1) to understand basic concepts such as media, multimedia, hypermedia, new media, virtuality, etc.; 2) to learn how to analyze individual types of media and their influence on human communication and culture; 3) to understand the history of media from the prehistoric period till today; 4) To meet and interpret the thoughts of the most influential authors in the field such as M. McLuhan, F. Kittler, L. Manovich, V. Flusser, P. Levinson, J. Baudrillard, etc.
Knowledge of crucial concepts, question and theories in media philosophy Ability to read and explain texts in media philosophy Ability to apply acquired knowledge from media philosophy to actual media situations
Prerequisites
Orientation in the history of philosophy, especially in 20th century thinking. Basic orientation in media theory according to the course Media studies

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
Activity during the course - reading, analyses and discussion Concluding essay on a specified topic
Recommended literature
  • Baudrillard, J. Simulacra and Simulation. Simulacra and Simulation, 1994.
  • Friedrich Kittler. Gramofon, film, typewriter. Praha: Karolinum, 2017.
  • Heidegger, M. Věda, technika, zamyšlení. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2009. ISBN 80-7298-083-1.
  • Krtilová, K., Svatoňová, K. Medienwissenschaft: Východiska a aktuální pozice německé filozofie a teorie médií.. Praha: Academia., 2016.
  • Virilio, P. Estetika mizení. Pavel Mervart, Červený Kostelec, 2010.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester