Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences

The Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences provides the instruction within the following degree programmes: the BA Philosophy and Social Sciences degree programme, the BA Social Sciences in Education degree programme, and the follow-up MA Philosophy degree programme.

The aim of studies of philosophy at the institute is to search for and examine those methods that have been applied in the evolution of philosophical thought and that may as well be useful nowadays, and to show and vindicate where and how these methods can serve us at the beginning of 21st century. It follows that the emphasis is put on the methodology of philosophy. On the other hand, although we do not want to reduce the studies of philosophy to mere instruction of the history of philosophy, it does not mean that we regard this field of philosophy as insignificant. Apart from methodology, discussion of crucial aspects of the history of philosophy is considered to be another important feature of the studies at the department. The third aspect dealt with into a great detail is the application of philosophy. Concerning the character of the degree programme, the instruction is focused mainly on the interaction of philosophy and social sciences.

The BA Social Sciences in Education degree programme, guaranteed by the department, is realised at the Faculty of Education. This programme provides students with general humane education and with the basis for understanding interdisciplinary relations, and it develops the ability to analyse current social issues. The structure of the programme is designed as a preparation for the follow-up MA degree programmes specialized in teacher training. At the same time, however, graduates can pursue their studies in one of the narrowly specialized MA degree programmes, such as philosophy, sociology, political science.

Main research interests of the institute cover numerous aspects of philosophy as well as didactics of social sciences. One of the central projects of the department is the vivid activity of the Language – Mind – Society Center that organizes numerous seminars, lectures and workshops for academic as well as non-academic public. The department publishes a reviewed journal Philosophy Today, and it organizes a biyearly conference Hradec Days of Philosophy.

Close relations are maintained with the Department of Philosophy at the partner University of Oslo and with the Centre for the Study of Mind in Nature in Norway. As for local institutions, the department cooperates, among others, mainly with the Department for Logic of the Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.