UFAF507 Eschatology, Omega Point, Collapsing Stars and Expanding Universe

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Winter 2018
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Pavel Bakala, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
RNDr. Pavel Bakala, Ph.D.
Centrum interdisciplinárních studií – Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
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
Course objectives
This course focuses on the common points of the scientific interpretation of the End Times and the mythological, religious, philosophical and artistic perspectives on the question of eschatology. The course aims to present the specific nature of the formation and development of eschatological and apocalyptic ideas within the framework of an interdisciplinary approach. The first objective is to provide the students with theoretical knowledge of the basic eschatological concepts and their transformation and historical development, and then to show them the correlation of mythological concepts of the "eternal return" and the later linear perception of history with the development of scientific observations and social changes. The participants of the course will be taught to work with textual sources and will be lead to independent reflection over the most complex issues of philosophy and science, such as an understanding of time, destiny, and the role of a human in historical development. After being provided with the historical and cultural background, the students will be able to compare these theories with contemporary cosmological models which offer different scenarios of the further evolution of the universe. LEARNING OUTCOMES * Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: * understand the complexity and importance of the interdisciplinary approach to basic philosophical concepts, especially those related to global and individual eschatology * reflect on the methodological problems of the interdisciplinary approach * draw parallels between religious, philosophical and scientific development using different basic issues of the development of mankind * obtain a critical view on the contemporary focus on the issue of the End Time * integrate different religions viewed as an attempt to answer the basic questions of existence * account for the role of eschatology in shaping the ideological development of particular cultures * communicate effectively and demonstrate the ability to articulate ideas, taking into consideration purpose, audience and mode
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • Kurz je zaměřen na mapování obecných mimovědeckých představ o konci
    světa, včetně stručného
    historického a kulturologického přehledu nejvýznamnějších mýtů o zániku
    vesmíru (tzv. globální
    eschatologie) a srovnání těchto teorií se současnými vědeckými
    kosmologickými modely, nabízejícími
    různé scénáře další evoluce univerza.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Teacher's information
* Texts readings and lecture presentations/notes
* The student will submit a 2-3 page reflection paper in which he/she will reflect on any issues relating to eschatology. The topic will be chosen individually with respect to his/her professional interests.
* Oral examination: presentation on the chosen reflection paper topic, participation in the discussion
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2016, Winter 2017, Winter 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fpf/winter2018/UFAF507