Course Details

History and Philosophy of Technology

Academic Year 2025/26

NZB020 course is part of 2 study plans

​ NPC-ARS / ARA Winter Semester 2nd year

​ NPC-ARS / ARP Winter Semester 2nd year

Course Guarantor

RNDr. Ing. Jaroslav Lindr, Ph.D.

Institute

Institute of Social Sciences

Language of instruction

Czech

Credits

3 credits

Semester

winter

Forms and criteria of assessment

graded course-unit credit

Offered to foreign students

Not to offer

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/296017

Lecture

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, elective

Syllabus

  • 1. The concept of "philosophy". Introduction to the philosophical system and terminology. Ancient philosophy, science and technical knowledge.
  • 2. Ancient philosophy. Philosophy in Greece. Beginnings of philosophy. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. Hellenistic philosophy. Survey of technical and structural achievements of the ancient world.
  • 3. Philosophy before Christianity and the early Christian period. Medieval perspectives on the world and sciences. Conceptions of philosophy in the Middle Ages. Thomas Aquinas - pillar of medieval philosophy.
  • 4. The Renaissance revolution - a new way forward? Philosophy of the Renaissance and Reformation. Humanism. Comenius as personality of Renaissance philosophy.
  • 5. Rationalism and empiricism and their influence on the philosophic and scientific world. Descartes, Locke, Hume and Berkeley. The Enlightenment - Voltaire and Rousseau. History of the science in the 17th century.
  • 6. Immanuel Kant's philosophy. The Critiques of Pure and Practical Reason. Philosophy in Germany. History of the science in the 18th century.
  • 7. The conceptions of science and technology in the modern age. The rise of capitalism and its influence to technological development.
  • 8. The Industrial Revolution. The development of science, technology and civil engineering in the 19th century. Positivism in philosophy.
  • 9. The development of philosophy, society and science in the 20th century. Phenomenology and hermeneutics. Existentialism.
  • 10. Modern philosophy in the 20th century. Directions and personalities. The Vienna Circle. L. Wittgenstein.
  • 11. The increase in technical innovation after World War Two. The role of civil engineering and architecture in technical progress.
  • 12. The Scientific-technical Revolution and its importance for the contemporary period.
  • 13. Modernism and postmodernism in philosophy and the world of science.

Exercise

13 weeks, 1 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  • 1. An introduction to general and Czech history, periodization of historical development.
  • 2. Important historical events of Antiquity, its influence to mankind knowledge, beginning of natural philosophy.
  • 3. History of Antiquity, summary of main events.
  • 4. The moving of nations, philosophy in the Middle-Ages, general history in the Middle-Ages.
  • 5. General and Czech history in the Middle-Ages, summary of events, personalities and philosophical courses.
  • 6. General and Czech history in the modern ages, important events in European history.
  • 7. The Industrial Revolution. Summary of chosen technical inventions and unique objects.
  • 8. The Industrial Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical invention. Students' presentations.
  • 9. The Industrial Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical invention. Students' presentations.
  • 10. The Industrial Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical invention. Students' presentations.
  • 11. The Technical-scientific Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical problem. Students' presentations.
  • 12. The Technical-scientific Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical problem. Students' presentations.
  • 13. The Scientific-technical Revolution. Historical development of chosen technical problem. Students' presentations.