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Chaldaean Oracles in the Historical Context of Late Antiquity
Elis, Martin Šachar ; Chlup, Radek (advisor) ; Hladký, Vojtěch (referee)
This thesis deals with late antiquity literary work, dating probably from second half of 2nd century CE, known as Chaldaean Oracles. These are written in Greek and preserved only in fragments. It's content is a philosophical and religious system, which fuses together middle-platonic philosophy and oriental religious traditions The aim of this thesis is to present doctrine of the literary work in question as well as the associated ritual practice (called theurgy) and then to analyze this system and compare it with similar movements, especially with Hermetism and Gnosticism. To achive this, I use the methodology of R. Chlup, based on the concept of so called "wordlviews". These are implicit assumptions and choices in ideological systems. I then try to connect the Chaldaean wordlview with it's supposed social context. The result of this analysis is that the image of the world in the Chaldaean Oracles is considerably positive, with the emphasis on the unity of all. It thus constitutues an antipole of certain sort to the largely negative and dualistic Gnosticism, with which it shares similar metaphysical concepts. The supplement of this thesis contains the Greek original of extant fragments together with author's original Czech translation. Key words: Chaldaean Oracles, theurgy, late antiquity, worldview
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New wilderness and its theoretical context on the example of Rohan island
Hořejší, Johana ; Hladký, Vojtěch (advisor) ; Nohejlová Zemková, Michaela (referee)
New wilderness is a term denoting a particular kind of environment which is considerably modified by human activity and then abandoned. These places are left to their own development defined mostly by natural processes. This work describes the phenomenon of new wilderness both in Czech and international context. It attempts to capture not only the general nature of new wilderness but also to point out various features which are provoked by its character. Subsequently it discusses the theory of Umwelt by Jakob von Uexküll describing the relation of individual to the world and treating the space as perceived individually. Second part of this work is dedicated to concrete example of new wilderness - Rohan island in Prague. It summarizes its history and natural conditions. The concepts of Umwelt and heterotopia are then applied to this locality. The two theories in question, conceiving space in a specific way, develop further the complexity and richness of the phenomenon of new wilderness.
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Meaning of Numbers between Plato and Aristotle
Šíma, Antonín ; Špinka, Štěpán (advisor) ; Karfík, Filip (referee) ; Hladký, Vojtěch (referee)
1 Abstract Meaning of numbers between Plato and Aristotle Antonín Šíma The dissertation titled "The Transformation of the Concept of Number between Plato and the Early Academy" deals with the problem of numbers in early Platonism between Aristotle and Plato. In Plato's dialogues, within professional mathematical disciplines of knowledge, numbers fulfil a function of propaedeutic procedure to the method of thinking − dialectic. Dialectic engages in the most general structures of thinking whose centre is the problem of being and good, which is only mentioned marginally in our thesis. The philosophy of dialogues is based on the ontological and epistemological dignity of unchanging and eternally existing ideas. In Metaphysics A Aristotle describes Plato's and the Platonic doctrines of the early Academy in whose centre there are principles expressed by numbers: one and indefinite two, which are assessed according to Aristotelian principles doctrine as form and matter. Aristotle mentions Platonic dialectical method which focuses on researching the general in speech. This method distinguishes Platonic thought from Pythagorean philosophy in Aristotle's precursors' philosophy overview. In the criticized doctrine, numbers have the same meaning as ideas or ideal numbers standing on the scale of ontological dignity...
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Nietzsche, Conscience, Evolution
Šturmová, Magdalena ; Hladký, Vojtěch (advisor) ; Markoš, Anton (referee)
The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche was significantly influenced by the theory of evolution, though his interest was almost solely in relation to the human psyche. However, while many topics of his philosophy are similar to current topics of discussion in science, reflection on these thoughts is rare. The aim of this dissertation is to present Nietzsche's pivotal thoughts about the nature, function and evolution of human consciousness, with subsequent reflection on these thoughts and on their embedding in the broader context of current scientific discussion. From the standpoint of Nietzsche's philosophy, the main themes of this work are the conception of consciousness as "social instinct"; the critique of conception of consciousness as human essence and related topics; and, from the standpoint of current science, the question of the mechanism of the evolution of the human consciousness. The conclusion deals with cognitive archaeology and its attempt to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the human mind. The appendix is about Nietzsche's relation to Darwinism.
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Kabbalistic sources in the philosophy of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Herůfek, Jan ; Neubauer, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Hladký, Vojtěch (referee) ; Nejeschleba, Tomáš (referee)
This work deals with Mirandola's concept of natural magic and Christian Cabala. I based my study on Pico's prohibited heretic thesis: "There is no science that assures us more of divinity of Christ than magic and Cabala." Pico defended this thesis in the fifth part of Apology. Later Princeps concordiae returned to the same topic, at first in the incomplete work Comentto, then in his late works Expositiones in psalmos and Heptaplus. In the first chapter I incorporate Pico into the historical context. I put emphasis on both Pico's way to philosophical knowledge and his application of philosophical and theological knowledge in the 900 Theses, which was an ambitious but not very successful project. I used the failure of the disputation and the subsequent condemnation of the theses as a starting point for developing the thesis on magic and Cabala in the two following parts. The next chapter focuses on Pico's concept of magic and necromancy. It is necessary to say that Pico never dealt only with magic, but he always related it to astrology or Cabala Defending the status of these sciences in Apology against his opponents, Princeps concordiae followed his division of sciences, introduced earlier in Oratio. Pico related his curriculum scientiarum to the pseudo-Dionysian process. Dialectics and moral philosophy were...
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Plato's second coming. An outline of the philosophy of George Gemistos Plethon
Hladký, Vojtěch ; Karfík, Filip (advisor) ; Segonds, Allain Philippe (referee) ; Zografidis, George (referee)
The present work is an attempt to provide a complex exposition of the philosophy of George Gemistos Plethon, a XVth century Byzantine Platonist who influenced also contemporary Renaissance thinkers in Italy. The first part of this study treats Gemistos' "public philosophy", that is, his practical proposals for political reforms in the despotate of Morea (in the Peloponnese) on the basis of Platonic principles as well as the funeral orations, which he composed and in which the immortality of the human soul is demonstrated by rational argumentation. The second part is dedicated to the overall reconstruction of Plethon's own version of Platonism or philosophia perennis, the perennial rational philosophy, which is common to all the people throughout different ages and the best expression of which is to be found in the works of Plato and Zoroaster (the Chaldaean Oracles, according to Plethon). Finally, the third part discusses the religious beliefs of Gemistos - examines the testimonies of the contemporaries, his stand at the Council of Florence, and his treatise on the procession of the Holy Spirit as well as the neo-pagan Laws which is a kind of his self-stylisation to Plethon, "the second Plato", - with the result that it is rather improbable that Gemistos was a Platonic polytheist as it is often claimed.
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Biological meaning and cultural role of human eyes and iris color
Hořejší, Johana ; Hladký, Vojtěch (referee) ; Kleisner, Karel (advisor)
This study focuses on biological and cultural role of human eyes with respect to variation of iris color. It concerns evolution, genetic determination, and anatomy. It studies possible relationships between eye color and predisposition to diseases. Besides biological aspect, it deals with eye as an indicator of attractiveness and tendency to some types of behavior. It also outlines the role of eye in folklore and alternative medicine.
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