Course: Thinking about the language in the classification of knowledge

« Back
Course title Thinking about the language in the classification of knowledge
Course code KOL/92BMJ
Organizational form of instruction Seminar
Level of course Doctoral
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 10
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Faltýnek Dan, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Nagy Marek, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
(1) Classifying the knowledge base: science and knowledge, classification approaches, basic concepts, present state of research (2) The origin of classification and its development from the Ancient times up to the late 16th century (3) Modern classifications in the age of the encyclopaedia (4) The 19th century climax and decline of classification efforts (5) The nature of ancient thoughts on language in the general scheme of knowledge (shown on Sextus Empiricus) (6) Medieval and renaissance linguistic thinking amidst the changes in education patterns (7) Linguistic thinking in the 17th century: historia naturalis and the nature of language (8) 18th century linguistics: the science of the general and the specific, the science of the origin (9) Early 19th century linguistics: languages in the age of natural sciences (10) Late 19th century linguistics: the matter of method, the matter of independence

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming)
Learning outcomes
The course is a foray into the historical development of linguistics, placing it against the background of the knowledge scheme typical for each of the covered periods. Students will be introduced to the long string of attempts to classify linguistics as a part of the knowledge body, starting in the ancient world (Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Sextus Empiricus), through the medieval and renaissance classification efforts (R. Bacon, St. Bonaventura, Dante, Peter Rasmus), up to the heyday of the 17th century (Bacon, Alsted, Commenius, Leibniz), 18th century (Chambers, Diderot & d'Alembert) and, most significantly, 19th century (Bentham, Ampere, Comte, Spencer, Whevel, Masaryk, Wundt, Pearson). Having established this as a background, we will be able to start looking at the status of linguistics from the following points of view: (1) that of those who authored the classifications, (2a) that that is found in the linguistically-inclined texts from the given period, and (2b) that of those scholars (linguistically oriented or otherwise) who specifically discussed classifications (notably: Bopp, Grimm, Schleicher, Müller, Whitney, Paul, Wundt, Gabelentz). Looking at the formation of linguistics (its nature, its goals and tasks) as an independent scholarly discipline in the broad context of the knowledge/science development, we will be able to reconstruct where it came from and how it became the modern field of science it is today.
Have understanding of the historical development of linguistic thinking in the context of the then-prevalent schemes of knowledge base and nature of the learning process.
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Student performance

" regular class attendance (80%) " reading assignments " writing assignment (historiographic essay / encyclopedic entry / commented translation)
Recommended literature
  • BURKE, P. (2007). Společnost a vědění: od Gutenberga k Diderotovi. Praha: Karolinum.
  • Burke, P. (2013). Spoolečnost a vědění II: Od Encyklopedie k Wikipedii. Praha.
  • Davies, A. M. (1998). History of linguistics. Volume 4: Nineteenth century linguistics..
  • Dolby, R. G. A. Classification of the Sciences: The Nineteenth Century Tradition. In Roy. F. Ellen and David Reason (eds.): Classifications in Their Social Context . London: Academic Press 1979, s. 167-193..
  • Fisher, N. The Classification of the Sciences. In: R.C. Olby, G. N. Cantor, J. R. R. Christie and M. J. S. Hodge (eds.): Companion to the History of Modern Science. London: Routledge 1989, s. 853-868.
  • Flint, R. (1904). Philosophy as scientia scientiarum and A History of classifications of the sciences. Edinburgh.
  • Harris, R., & Taylor, T. J. (1997). Landmarks in linguistic thought. London: Routledge.
  • Koerner, E. F. K.?Asher, R. E. (1995). Concise History of the Language Sciences. Oxford.
  • Law, V. (2008). The history of linguistics in Europe. From Plato to 1600. Cambridge.
  • Lepschy, G. (ed.). History of linguistics. Volume 1: The eastern traditions of linguistics. Longman 1994..
  • Lepschy, G. (ed.). History of linguistics. Volume 2: Classical and medieval linguistics. Longman 1994..
  • Lepschy, G. (ed.). (1997). History of linguistics. Volume 3: Renaissance and Early Modern Linguistics.
  • Sériot, P. (2002). Struktura a celek. Intelektuální počátky strukturalismu ve východní Evropě. Praha.
  • Yeo, R. Classifying the Sciences. In Roy Porter (ed): Cambridge History of Science: Volume 4, The Eighteenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2003, s. 241-266..


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): English and American Literature (12) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): General Linguistics and Theory of Communication (13) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Dutch Philology (16) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Clinical Psychology (12) Category: Psychology courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory and History of Arts (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Czech Language (13) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Czech Language (13) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Romance Languages (14) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Czech Literature (12) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Pedagogical Psychology (12) Category: Psychology courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Pedagogical Psychology (12) Category: Psychology courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Media and Cultural Studies (14) Category: Journalism, library science and informatics - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory and History of Arts (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory of Literature (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Sociology (12) Category: Social sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory and History of Literature, Theatre and Film (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): World History (12) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Czech History (12) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Economic and Managerial Studies (16) Category: Economy - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory and History of Music (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Theory and History of Literature, Theatre and Film (12) Category: Theory and history of arts - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Sociology (12) Category: Social sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Romance literature (12) Category: Philological sciences - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Czech History (12) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -