Basic characteristics of patristic and medieval philosophy, the problem of defining the Middle Ages. The transition from antiquity to patristics/the Middle Ages. The relationship between pagan and Christian culture, the role of education (Clement of Alexandria, Augustine). Interpretation of the Bible through philosophical concepts, allegorical exegesis, the body and soul of Scripture. Polemics between pagan and Christian authors, apologetics (Celsus, Origen). Christianity and Greek philosophy (Stoicism, Neoplatonism). Patristic anthropology. Man as the image of God, the meaning of virtues, their Christian reinterpretation, the concept of virtue as continuous progress (Gregory of Nyssa). Freedom, grace, predestination. Human changeability and development, the history of salvation. The concept of memory and time in Augustine's Confessions, the relationship between the ancient and Christian concepts of the good life. The question of knowing God, positive and negative theology. Biblical foundations of negative theology. The darkness of God in Dionysius the Areopagite. Practical consequences of God's unknowability, ascending to God. Proofs of God's existence. Anselm's proof, its premises, Anselm's conception of divinity. Criticism of Anselm's proof. Thomas Aquinas, the question of God's knowability, five ways. The relationship between reason and faith. The ethics of Thomas Aquinas. Medieval reception of Aristotle, the role of virtues. Thomas's concept of conscience, natural prerequisites for right action, mental powers, and their perfection. Thomas Aquinas's doctrine of the types of law. Eternal, natural, human, and divine law. The dispute over universals. The problem of general concepts as an ancient legacy. The main positions, realism and nominalism. Basic terminology, various forms of the doctrine of universals and principles of individuation in the Middle Ages. The epistemology of John Duns Scotus. William of Ockham and the nominalist position. Ockham's razor. During the seminar, we will read medieval texts related to individual topics. The texts will be available in STAG. Study aids The course will be based on reading and interpreting selected passages from sources on patristic and medieval literature. We will read the primary texts in Czech translations, taking into account the original. In the absence of a Czech translation, we will use a translation into another world language, especially English. The texts will be available in STAG. The literature listed below is an overview; students will be introduced to specific texts in class.
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This is a basic course in medieval philosophy, which uses selected topics to illustrate the main characteristics of patristic and medieval thought, the uniqueness of medieval philosophy, and its interconnection with both ancient philosophy and modern thinking. The aim of the seminar is to learn how to work with sources on medieval philosophy, to understand their context, basic terminology, and methods of argumentation.
The course introduces students to selected topics in medieval thought. Participants also learn to work with sources on medieval philosophy in order to understand them and be able to place the issues under investigation in a broader context.
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- Floss, Pavel. Architekti křesťanského středověkého vědění.. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2004. ISBN 80-7021-662-X.
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- Pieper, J. Scholastika. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1993. ISBN 80-7021-131-8.
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Němec V. Přirozený zákon podle Tomáše Akvinského, in Přirozenost ve filosofii minulosti a současnosti, ed. Chvátal Ladislav, Hušek Vít. Brno. 2008.
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