Course: Philosophy of Imagination

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Course title Philosophy of Imagination
Course code KFHS/P531
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study 2
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Fišerová Michaela, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
The course introduces the philosophical conception of picture, image, and imagination. Chosen examples from the history of philosophy demonstrate the key role of imagination in ethical and aesthetic aspects of human thinking and in political motivation of human action.

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified
Learning outcomes
The subject introduces to the Western philosophical tradition of thinking on human imagination. Its goal is to explain the use of the key concepts of imagination, image, picture/representation, unimaginable, unrepresentable, and visuality in historical and cultural contexts. Based on a reading of the most influential philosophical texts, the presented lines of thinking open to several views of the topic of imagination. The cycle of lectures helps to distinguish and compare these theories to suggest possible areas of their application on examples of historical and contemporary practices of producing and sharing images.
Students will understand the historical evolution of the Western philosophical tradition of thiking about image, imagination and representation. This knowledge will help them evaluate the extent of possible application of the older and newer approaches to the contemporary problems of aeshetic, ethical and political dealing with sharing of the sensible.
Prerequisites
1. no previous subject must be attended 2. reading in English

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
Writing and presentation of written work on a chosen topic in the final colloquium. The seminar work is 5 pages long, and its presentation in the seminar lasts 15 minutes. Students are expected to attend lectures and to work carefully with the primary and secondary sources of the philosophical bibliography.
Recommended literature
  • Aristoteles. Člověk a příroda. .
  • Bergson, H. Hmota a paměť. .
  • Deleuze, G. Obraz-pohyb. Film 1. .
  • Didi-Huberman, G. Images Inspite of All. .
  • Lacan, J. Imaginárno a symbolično. .
  • Merleau-Ponty, M. Oko a duch. .


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