Course detail

History and Philosophy of Technology

FIT-FITAcad. year: 2021/2022

The course "History and Philosophy of Technology" represents an introduction into the particular stages of development of the technology with respect to the surrounding cultural climate and the philosophical streams on the background of which these particular chapters of the history take place. The course deals also with the risk factors the civilization brings about, and suggestions are given how to overcome them.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The information transferred should provide the students with the knowledge of the amazing drama hidden behind an apparently cold and non-personal phenomenon of technology. The purpose is to establish links to the specific engineering subjects and to other branches of the culture.

Prerequisites

No prerequisity knowledge is called for.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Not applicable.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Not applicable.

Course curriculum

Not applicable.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The target of the course is to instigate in the listener the awareness of glorious and many thousand years long history of the technology, and to give him/her the knowledge of relationships with the entity of human culture and the resulting ethical responsibility of any individual to whom technology should become a vocation.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Not applicable.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Recommended reading

Lilley: Stroje a lidé v dějinách. Praha, 1973
Marshall: Po stopách lidského pokroku. Praha, 1932
Bernal: Věda v dějinách. Praha, 1960
Nový: Dějiny techniky v Československu do 18. století. Praha, 1974
Jílek: Zrození velkých vynálezů. Praha, 1988
Numford: Technika a civilizace. Praha, 1947

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme IT-BC-3 Bachelor's

    branch BIT , 1 year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme BIT Bachelor's 1 year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme IT-MSC-2 Master's

    branch MBI , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MBS , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MGM , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MIN , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MIS , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MMM , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MPV , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    branch MSK , 0 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme MITAI Master's

    specialization NADE , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NBIO , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NCPS , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NEMB , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NGRI , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NHPC , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NIDE , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NISD , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NMAL , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NMAT , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NNET , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NSEC , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NSEN , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NSPE , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NVER , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NVIZ , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NISY up to 2020/21 , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization NISY , 0 year of study, winter semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

  • Since the earliest industry to megalithic constructions.
  • The antiquity and the helenistic science and technology
  • Medieval age - technology in the shade of cathedrals
  • Renaissance engineers - new image of the world
  • Long way to steam engine
  • Industrial revolution in England
  • Meeting point between science and technology
  • Combustion engine, turbine and new potentials
  • Electrical energy from Thalet to Coulomb
  • Galvani and the others
  • Electromotoric principle comes into the world
  • The history of data transmission until the spark telegraphy
  • Inventors activities and the related ethical issues of today