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Lecturer(s)
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Rokyta Jan, doc. ThDr. Ph.D.
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Roreitnerová Alena, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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(1) What Is Christian Philosophy? Ficino's Platonism and Christianity (introductory lecture) (2) De amore (1469); commentary on Plato's Symposium: historical context, philosophical tradition, Christian context, literary inspiration [reading: preface and 1st speech of De amore (selected passages); additional reading: Plato, Symposium, 172a-180b; Dante, Divine Comedy, Inferno, Canto 1] (3) Amor universalis and the levels of being. Love as a "good circle" [reading: II, III, and VI speeches from De amore (selected passages); supplementary reading of selected passages: Plotinus, On Self-Knowledge, Dionysius the Areopagite, On the Divine Names] (4) Platonic metaphysics and the idea of creation ex nihilo. The fall of the soul and its return to God. Interpretation of Aristophanes' myth from the Symposium and the biblical book of Genesis Genesis [reading: IV. and VI. speech De amore (selected passages) supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Symposium; Augustine, Confessions XII and XIII; De Genesi ad litteram] (5) The machine of the world (machina mundi) and its soul. Ficino as physician and astrologer: elements, humors, temperaments [reading: IV. and VI. speech De amore (selected passages); supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Timaeus] (6) How can an impassible soul perceive? Attention and productive imagination [reading: I. V. and VI. De amore (selected passages); supplementary reading of selected passages: Augustine, De musica; iconographic interpretation: Botticelli, Primavera] (7) The incorporeal nature of beauty. Beauty as the radiance of the face of God [reading: I. and V. De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Symposium; Plotinus, On Beauty] (8) What is love? Love as affection, daemon, and god. Daemons and angels [reading: VI. speech De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Symposium, Phaedrus; Plotinus, On Eros; Dionysius the Areopagite, On the Celestial Hierarchy] (9) Divine light as the source of knowledge. Innate ideas and the theory of recollection (anamnesis) [reading: II. and VI. speech of De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Phaedrus; Augustine, Confessions, Epistulae] (10) Platonic and Christian metaphysics of light [reading: II. and VI. speech De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Republic; Augustine, Soliloquia, Confessions, De Genesi ad litteram] (11) Love begins with a glance. Philosophical, medical, and literary contexts [reading: VI. and VII. De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Lucretius, On the Nature of Things; Dante, The New Life; Guido Cavalcanti, Donna mi prega] (12) Love as enchantment and love as divine inspiration. Ficino and the doctrine of the Trinity [reading: VII. speech De amore; supplementary reading of selected passages: Plato, Phaedrus; Lucretius, On the Nature of Things; Dante, The Divine Comedy]
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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- Contact teaching
- 26 hours per semester
- Excursion
- 8 hours per semester
- Home preparation for classes
- 30 hours per semester
- Independent critical reading
- 40 hours per semester
- Preparation of a presentation (report)
- 16 hours per semester
- Preparation for an exam
- 60 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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Since the term was first used in the 2nd century, there has been lively debate about what Christian philosophy is. A particularly influential answer to this question is provided by Renaissance Christian Platonism, as conceived, among others, by Marsilio Ficino - a physician, Platonic philosopher, and priest. The course will focus on Ficino's philosophy of love presented in his commentary on Plato's Symposium entitled De amore (1469). Special attention will be paid to Ficino's attempt to reconcile Platonic and Christian metaphysics. The literary contexts of the dialogue De amore (Occitan lyric poetry, Dante, Cavalcanti), as well as its later reception in Renaissance art (Botticelli), will also be considered.
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Prerequisites
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unspecified
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Assessment methods and criteria
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unspecified
Compulsory attendance of at least 80%. During the course, students will prepare a presentation, which they will also submit in written form. The course will be concluded with a student conference - symposium.
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Recommended literature
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Allen J. B., Rees V. Marsilio Ficiono: His Theology, His Philosophy, His Legacy. Leiden, 2002.
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Augustin. Vyznání. Kostelní Vydří, 2015.
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Dante Alighieri. Božská komedie. Praha, 2009.
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Dante Alighieri. Nový život. Praha, 1945.
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Dionysios Areopagita. O nebeské hierarchii. Praha, 2010.
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Dionysius the Areopagite. On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology. London, 1920.
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Hanley R. P. (vyd.). Love. A History. New York, 2024.
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Kristeller P. O. Osm filosofů italské renesance. Praha, 2007.
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Lucretius. O přírodě. Praha, 1971.
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Marsilio Ficino. O lásce. Praha, 2022.
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Platón. Faidros. Praha, 2003.
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Platón. Symposion. Praha, 2003.
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Plotinos. Dvě pojednání o kráse. Praha, 1994.
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Plotinos. O erótu. Praha, 2025.
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Plotinos. O sebepoznání. Praha, 2014.
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St. Augustine. The Literal Meaning of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram). New York, 1982.
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V. Černý, J. Pelán. Italská renesanční literatura. Praha, 2020.
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van den Doel, Marieke. Ficino and Fantasy. Imagination in Renaissance Art and Theory from Botticelli to Michelangelo. Leiden, 2022.
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