PV24TP004 Introduction to Philosophy

Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Winter 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Petr Slováček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Institute of Pedagogical and Psychological Sciences – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Contact Person: PhDr. Edita Ondřejová, Ph.D.
Timetable
Thu 8:05–9:40 C310, except Thu 24. 9., except Thu 15. 10., except Thu 10. 12. ; and Thu 24. 9. 8:05–9:40 C205, Thu 15. 10. 8:05–9:40 C312, Thu 10. 12. 8:05–9:40 C205
Prerequisites (in Czech)
FAKULTA(1951) && TYP_STUDIA(B) && FORMA(P)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to basic topics, problems and figures in philosophy.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will have a basic overview of the history of philosophy, will know the basic philosophical disciplines and their problems, and will be familiar with various strategies for solving the main problems of these disciplines.
Syllabus
  • 1. Life in Ancient Greece  Greek philosophy as a step out of myth, man and society in Ancient Greece, the ancient concept of the individual and society or the private and public sphere;
  • 2. The first philosophers - pre-Socratic philosophers; 3. Philosophers of the classical period I. - Socrates and the problem of the universal; 4. Philosophers of the classical period II. - Plato, Plato and the topicality of his philosophy; 5. Philosophers of the classical period III. - Aristotle and the topicality of his philosophy; 6. The beginnings of Christian Europe  Christian philosophy and its transformation of the concept of the individual; Reason and faith  two inseparable sources of medieval knowledge and their relationship; the importance of the connection between philosophy and theology for a non-instrumental understanding of the individual and society
  • 7. Transformations of medieval thought  the two most important anthropological concepts of the Middle Ages: Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, their political and philosophical consequences
  • 8. The importance of the Renaissance and humanism in European history  the effort to overcome scholastic speculation by returning to the ancient source of European thought. The importance of analogy as an epistemological means and its use in the creation of ideal images of society on the example of the so-called consultations of J. A. Comenius 9. The modern change of the scientific paradigm  British empiricism and continental rationalism. 10. The Enlightenment and its anthropological optimism  I. Kant and his answer to the question: What is the Enlightenment?
  • 11. Philosophy and ideology of the 19th century  their role in the changing European society: positivism, utilitarianism and Marxism; 12. Famous European emigrants - H. Arendt, L. Strauss - reaction to the horrors of war in the first half of the 20th century - return to the "lost treasures" of European tradition;
Literature
    required literature
  • POPPER, K. R. Otevřená společnost a její nepřátelé. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 2011. ISBN 978-80-7298-272-1.
  • STÖHRIG, H. J. Malé dějiny filosofie. Praha: Karmelitánské nakladatelství, 2001. ISBN 80-7192-500-4. info
  • SWIFT, A. Politická filozofie: základní otázky moderní politologie. Praha: Portál, 2005. ISBN 80-7178-859-7
    recommended literature
  • HOLZHEY, H., RÖD, W. Filosofie 19. a 20. století II. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2006. ISBN 80-7298-178-1. info
  • RÖD, W. Novověká filosofie I: od Francise Bacona po Spinozu. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 2006. ISBN 80-7298-039-4.
  • RÖD, W. Novověká filosofie II: od Newtona po Rousseaua. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 2004. ISBN 80-7298-109-9.
Teaching methods
Oral exam testing knowledge, understanding of the issues and ability to formulate basic philosophical topics. The exam will have two parts. The first part will test understanding of selected primary philosophical texts. The second part will test knowledge of the topics in the content. 1. Bělohradský, V., Filosofovat ve věku vlastních světů. In. Bělohradský, V., Společnost nevolnosti. Slon 2009 (i novější vydání), s. 31-43. 2. Platón, Obrana Sókratova. Oikuméne 2025 (i jiná vydání). 3. Aristotelés, Etika Níkomachova I. kniha. Rezek 1996 (i jiná vadání. 4. Kant, I., Co je osvícenství? Filozofický časopis. XLI, 1993, č. 3.s. 381-387. (https://www.unipo.sk/public/media/12589/06.%20KANT,%20I.%20-%20Co%20je%20osv%C3%ADcenstv%C3%AD.pdf) 5. Mill, J. S., O svobodě myšlení a slova. Institute H21, 2020.
Assessment methods
An oral examination assessing knowledge, understanding of the subject matter, and the ability to articulate fundamental philosophical themes. The exam will consist of two parts. The first part will test knowledge of selected philosophical texts; the list of these texts will be compiled collectively during the lectures. The second part will assess knowledge regarding selected figures and issues from the history of philosophy. Again, the list of these topics will be specified during the lectures, though it will align with the themes outlined in the syllabus.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2024, Winter 2025.
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