Philosophy and Arts – Thematic Units

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FIT50: Philosophy-Science and Literature

Course Unit Code: FIT50

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: First (1^st)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Literature has captivated philosophers’ attention since the inception of philosophy. Plato, in the Republic (Politia), criticized poetry as mere imitation. However, ancient tragedy is undoubtedly a philosophical genre, and Plato’s dialogues, beyond their philosophical essence, hold immense literary value. Modern philosophy, in various forms, often intersects with literary discourse, particularly the novel. Works by authors like Dostoevsky, Kafka, Camus, Proust, Joyce, and Beckett carry both theoretical significance and a genuine means of grasping reality, contributing to an epistemology of everyday life. The philosophy of literature establishes an epistemological framework for understanding literary works, encompassing their foundational structures and interpretative categories. The literature-philosophy relationship exhibited an antagonistic tone in Plato’s stance, which persisted subsequently. Some philosophers, echoing Plato’s fervor, contended that artistic pursuits in literature must be excluded, even penalized, for sincere contemplation. In his later work, Plato softened his stance, acknowledging poetry as a divine inspiration (Phaedrus). Yet, the distinction between philosophy and literature remained blurred, evident in his philosophical dialogues characterized by myth and near-fictional descriptions. From Aristotle onward, poetics emerged as a convergence of literature and science. Modern figures like Sartre also melded philosophy and literature. The theme naturally extends to corresponding approaches to science and literature in Greek culture across eras. This module traces the evolution of philosophical-scientific literary theories and explores philosophical and scientific issues found in Greek literary texts.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of THE FIT50, the student is expected to:

Propose ways of utilizing philosophical research for the public presentation of literature (“Aesthetics of the literary arts”).
Know and revise established theories about the course of literature and demonstrate the relationship of philosophical concepts to wider aesthetic and cultural processes.
Document the relationship between the development of various literary forms and the shaping of European modernity.
Decide on the current state of literature and evaluate new aesthetic directions.
Plan educational and/or artistic actions aimed at the aesthetic literacy of the general public in the literary phenomenon.

Cognitive Subjects:

Ancient metaphysics and literature
Medieval philosophy of literary genres
The formation of new philosophical theories about literary forms after the Renaissance. The development of academicism
Sciences and literary genres in the 19th and 20th centuries: Science, technology, the emergence of technoscientific culture and the development of literary modernism.
Philosophy and Sciences in the latest and modern Greek literature

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FIT51: Philosophy and Theatre

Course Unit Code: FIT51

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: First (1^st)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Aristotle’s Poetics marked the beginning of philosophical interest in theatre, particularly tragedy. Ancient tragedy’s close ties with philosophy are recognized as evidence of the development of philosophical thought in classical Athens. Theatre encompasses not only writing and text, but also performance arts and the concept of action. The primary concern revolves around defining theatre as an art where humans depict human actions within a specific time and place, compelling enough to be observed. The absence of text, playwright, actors, stage, and theatre can be limiting. While theatre primarily encompasses classical works, social events and group expressions possess a theatrical quality that captures audience attention. The Stoics proposed that the world functions as a grand theatre stage, with individuals assuming roles, aligning the theatrical stage with the broader world stage. Nonetheless, what distinguishes artistic theatre from the “world stage” is the presence of a plot. Equally significant is the connection between theatre and ethics. Theatre combines captivating actions with profound moral themes, requiring audience engagement and carrying a strong ethical dimension. Ancient tragedy, akin to Shakespearean theatre, serves as a school of thought, blending entertainment with moral inquiry, engaging the audience in a meaningful way.

Learning outcomes:

Upon succefull the completion of the Module, students will be able to:

Analyze and present philosophically to the audience examples of theatrical discourse.
Decode theatrical action and philosophically substantiate the positions of the viewpoints involved.
Identify and present the institutional dimension of the truth claims of the dominant model of theatrical representation.
Evaluate the ethical dimension of critical aesthetic and representational decisions in plays.
Participate in processes of aesthetic, theatrical policy formation.

Cognitive Objects:

The origins of the theatre. Ancient tragedy: the importance of the theatrical experience. The Aristotelian definition of tragedy.
The medieval eclipse of the theatre – the religious theatre.
Shakespeare’s theatre and philosophy.
Modern theatre – from naturalism to absurdism and theatre without text.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FIT52: Philosophy and Cinema

Course Unit Code: FIT52

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: First (1^st)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Critical thinking at the intersection of philosophy and cinema has existed since the early years of the film medium. Philosophers have not only written about cinema (e.g., Henri Bergson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Gilles Deleuze, Stanley Cavell), but commentators and scholars have also frequently turned to philosophical ideas in their attempt to comprehend cinema as a distinct art form and experience (André Bazin, Siegfried Kracauer). Cinema has often been associated with various branches of philosophy, such as Aesthetics, Ethics, and Ontology. In recent years, a new discipline has emerged that synthesizes philosophy and film, examining fundamental philosophical concepts like space, time, perception, and imagination. The growth of film philosophy can be attributed to significant philosophers engaged in cinema (Deleuze, Cavell, Badiou, Rancière, etc.). Beyond questions of art, the modes of communication and reception have an intrinsic and crucial connection to contemplation, as they provide the mind with objects of thought. In this regard, film binds itself to the process of thinking and the necessity for critically evaluating reflective representations. Consequently, the philosophical exploration of film extends beyond specific film examples to address broader issues situated at the intersection of spectacle and cognition, vision and consciousness, perception and reason. Approaching film philosophy from this standpoint allows for the examination of not just aesthetic but also ethical matters. For instance, it considers how to portray moral dilemmas stemming from concerns like war, interpersonal failures, environmental impact, etc., transitioning from a cognitive interpretation of film to an ethical investigation. Most importantly, film philosophy is rooted in a philosophy of media, which offers a fresh perspective on the situation, role, and function of films.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the FIT52, the student is expected to:

Conceive and describe film/television as inherently reflective and mental phenomena.
Distinguish the different philosophical theories and theoretical approaches of cinema / television.
Identify and evaluate the social consequences of film / television technology.
Recognize the fact that film / television images are institutionally constructed in different cultural contexts.
Highlight the importance of the role of the psycho-mental composition of the viewers in shaping and legitimizing specific film / television choices

Cognitive Subjects:

Industrial Revolutions and the creation and development of cinema
Cinema and television as perception mechanisms
Cinema and the new figurative media as theoretical, institutional discourses
Film/TV representation policies

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FIT53: Philosophy and Music

Course Unit Code: FIT53

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: Second (2^nd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: The philosophy of music differs from musicology. Today, music is pervasive, often replacing natural or artificial sounds. From personal mobile phone School of Humanities Postgraduate Programme “Philosophy and Arts” (FIT) Study Guide Page12 headphones to ambient tunes in stores and elevators, modern life is immersed in continuous musical listening. In this context, we question whether we genuinely and mindfully engage with music. Has it become more a synthetic product than an artistic experience? Additionally, music shapes our environment, transforming daily life into an iconic soundscape. It pervades spaces from private to public, creating diffuse consciousness.

Plato noted music as a reflection of the soul’s interaction with society. Contemporary philosophy of music must discern current musical trends while reviving the essence of great compositions and traditional music. Engaging with music can encourage reflection, critical perception of surroundings, and aesthetic sensitivity.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the FIT53, the student is expected to:

Identify the different philosophical / theoretical approaches followed to study musical presence in the public sphere.
Identify the theoretical specificities of the specific field, even though they come from different scientific and professional areas.
Recognize and decode the role of institutions and processes involved in the construction of musical aesthetics
Summarize the ways in which we study the trends and behaviours of the music-loving public and demonstrate the ways in which research results can be integrated into music communication actions

Cognitive Subjects:

The history, present and future of the musical language
Theories of representation and reception of music in the public space
Behaviours, tendencies and participation of the listener in matters of musical aesthetics
Music reproduction as a way of constructing the public sphere

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FIT54: Aesthetics and Epistemology

Course Unit Code: FIT54

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: Second (2^nd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Epistemology has shifted from its traditional examination of pre-modern science to encompass modern science. Epistemology in relation to aesthetics explores the science of Aesthetics originating in Enlightenment-era Germany. Philosophical aesthetics has often balanced between knowledge and art theories. Art undergoes positivist, scientific scrutiny from psychology, neurology, sociology, etc. The connection between epistemology and aesthetics necessitates an epistemology of aesthetics – a theory of understanding the world through aesthetic experiences.

The existence of purely aesthetic facts, distinct from other experiences, is questioned. Aesthetics may involve normatively framing certain experiences (beauty, aesthetic pleasure, the Sublime). Alternatively, aesthetics might pertain to conscious antecedents apart from aesthetic experiences. Comparing Plato, who emphasizes beauty, and Kant, who introduces the Sublime, illustrates modern epistemology of aesthetics’ evolution. This field offers explanatory models and explores the imagination’s role in knowledge. Aristotle posited that knowledge requires imagination. The epistemology of aesthetics seeks to clarify this relationship’s terms and types.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the FIT54, the student is expected to:

Utilize modern approaches to philosophical, theoretical analysis in the context of an exhibition space.
Design presentations and exhibits based on science and aesthetics.
Develop educational actions and educational programs for an aesthetic-scientific activity.
Create integrated experiences for the spectators of artistic events.
Plan the extroversion actions of an aesthetic space of sciences and arts

Cognitive Subjects:

Contemporary approaches and educational tools for science and aesthetics education.
Development of science and aesthetics exhibits.
Development of educational programs of epistemology/aesthetics in science and art museums.
Extroversion techniques for science and art museums

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FIT55: Philosophy, Gender and Arts

Course Unit Code: FIT55

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Compulsory

Semester: Second (2^nd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Feminist art theory is a dynamic contemporary research area that examines women as artists, patrons, viewers, and subjects of art. It highlights femininity, exploring women’s experiences within the art realm. The theory addresses the exclusion of women from artistic production, while also recognizing their significant presence as artistic subjects. The theoretical reexamination seeks to: restore women’s and artists’ worth in art; critique institutions, authorities, and ideologies that marginalize women; analyze women’s resistance; revise and redefine women’s roles in artistic creation and viewing.

Beyond feminism, broader issues like gender, homosexuality, LGBTQ presence, and Queer theory are explored. Queer theory distances itself from gender subordination, prompting a reevaluation of the normal and normative aspects of gender. It scrutinizes gender identification in relation to power dynamics, viewing gender as performative rather than normative. These theories constitute a cultural approach to gender concerns.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the FIT55, the student is expected to:

conduct interviews with professionals, political experts and artists, aiming to capture key points of the gender issue and its importance for public life.
plan talk shows or communication documentaries on the gender issue.
critically evaluate aesthetic and artistic portrayals of the gender issue.
judge aesthetic and artistic treatments of the gender issue.
describe gender conflicts by capturing the complex processes of constructing aesthetic reality

Cognitive Subjects:

Theories of media and artistic ways to represent the gender issue
Writing and interviewing techniques on gender issues in the arts
Creation of shows and documentaries on the gender issue
Ethical issues. Validation of sources. Good practices of cooperation with institutional bodies on the gender issue
Journalism and the representation of the gender issue in the arts.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this Module

Teaching Method: distance learning using the HOU’s e-Learning Platform and conducting Group Counselling Meetings (tele-GCM).

FITDE: Master’s Dissertation

Code: FITDE

Credits ECTS: 30

Type: Compulsory

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

General description:

The subject of the Postgraduate Dissertation should be directly related to the previous courses of the 1st and 2nd semesters, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between philosophy and the arts. The Postgraduate Dissertation can take the form of (a) original empirical research or a bibliographic composition, (b) research-based creation and evaluation of specific original (print and/or digital) material, complete educational programs, etc.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the dissertation (DE), the student is expected to:

is able to conduct original social research on issues related to the modules consisting the postgraduate program
knows and observes the principles and rules of ethics of scientific research.
Recognizes, applies, and combines the various methods and techniques of the cognitive subjects treated in the postgraduate program.

General Regulation for the Preparation of Master’s Theses in postgraduate programmes with a six-month duration.

For more information regarding the Specifications – Useful Material for writing Master’s Theses and uploading a Thesis at the H.O.U. Repository, you can go to the Digital Training Area http://courses.eap.gr and especially to the Program of Studies section.

Prerequisites: The presentation of the Master’s Dissertation takes place after the successful completion of the Modules of the Programme.

DIS62: History and Cinema

Course Unit Code: DIS62

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Works of art, in all their forms, have always been one of the main vehicles for transmitting information, messages and interpretations about History. This observation applies, to an even greater extent, to cinema, one of the newest arts in terms of their origin. Cinema has been linked in various ways to History, among other by the production of films of historical content, as well as through the shaping of historical consciousness in a very broad part of public opinion during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The first part of the Course is dedicated to the negotiation of important theoretical issues, such as the multifaceted connection of history with the cinematic product, as well as the importance of distinguishing fictional and historical elements in films that refer to the past. The second part focuses on the concept of national cinema and analyzes specific examples of particular interest for the ways in which they handle aspects of the recent historical past. The last part refers to the use of films of historical content (fiction or documentary) in the educational process, while reference is made also to the challenges and difficulties faced by their creators.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the Module, students will be able:

to be familiar with the main axes of theoretical discussions on the relationship between History and cinema, through the study of selected Greek and international literature and the preparation of research papers.
to know the importance and the main aspects of the relationship between History and cinema, with a special emphasis on the capacity to distinguish between historical truth and the cinematic version that falls within the scope – and the limitations – of Public History.
to be able to decode the cinematic image and, in particular, to trace the fictional elements and the particular viewpoint(s) of the producer and the director in a historical film.
to be able to produce a short film with historical content
to be able to understand the function of public history through the important case study of cinema, which could also serve as a guide to the respective dynamics of related channels, such as literature and other forms of visual, performing and contemporary audiovisual arts.

Cognitive Subjects:

The long and deep-rooted relationship between history and cinema
The specific power of film as a medium
Cinema as a vehicle for shaping historical consciousness

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final written assignment. Final written assignment grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Prerequisite courses: None

EEP11: History of Science

Course Unit Code: EEP11

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module:

The subject of the history of sciences is the study of the material, cultural, and intellectual conditions that made the emergence of specific interpretative views and representations of the natural world possible. The history of sciences also examines how these views and representations were legitimized and gained the status of universal truth within specific social frameworks. Finally, it studies the ways in which established scientific perceptions are challenged and the process by which they are replaced by others considered more accurate. Traditionally, the history of sciences covers sciences in antiquity, medieval science, the Scientific Revolution, sciences in the Enlightenment era, the establishment of modern science in the 19th century, and the diversification of science in the 20th century. Due to the nature of the master’s program, the thematic unit will focus more on recent times, particularly the period in which science takes on its modern form and establishes its presence in the public sphere.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP11, the student is expected to:

Suggest ways of using historical research to publicly present the nature of the scientific work (‘the nature of science’).
Revise established narratives about the course of science and demonstrate the relationship of scientific understandings to wider social and cultural processes.
Document the relationship between the development of the various sciences and the formation of European modernity.
Decide on the current state of the sciences and evaluate scientific and technological policy decisions.
To plan educational and/or artistic actions aimed at the scientific literacy of the general public

Cognitive Subjects:

Scientific Revolution and the beginnings of modernity
The sciences in the years of Enlightenment and the formation of the public sphere
Sciences and society in the 19th century. Academic and professional organization of modern science
20th century: Science, technology and the emergence of technoscientific culture

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 40 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 60 percent of the students’ final course grade.

EEP12: Philosophy of Science

Course Unit Code: EEP12

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module:

The subject of the philosophy of science is the study of the methods of testing and verification of scientific theories. The philosophy of science emerged in the 17th century. The changes brought about by the Scientific Revolution, both in method and in the content of knowledge, as well as the differences among its supporters, raise serious concerns about the possibilities and limits of human knowledge. These concerns remain relevant to this day. The epistemological optimism of the Enlightenment and the positivism of the 19th century attempt to address the skepticism associated with the problems of scientific knowledge and to demonstrate the epistemological superiority of modern science. These efforts continue and are systematized with logical positivism and analytical philosophy in the 20th century. At the same time, however, there are currents of thought that introduce social and cultural factors into the discussion, detaching science from its exclusive relationship with rationalism and objectivity. In recent years, under the influence of Science and Technology Studies, these currents have led to a variety of different views on the scientific phenomenon, connecting it with sociology, network theory, and gender studies.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP12, the student is expected to:

Analyze and present controversial issues of science and technology to the public.
Decode scientific controversies and document the views of the parties involved.
Identify and present the anthropological, class and gender dimension of the truth claims of the dominant model of technoscience.
Assess the ethical dimension of critical scientific and technological decisions.
Participate in scientific and technological policy formulation processes.

Cognitive Subjects:

The beginnings of the modern philosophy of science: The importance of experience. The use of the Reason. The Kantian synthesis
The philosophy of science in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Logical empiricism, verification and validation. Popper and refutation.
The historicist turn and theories of scientific change
Sociological and anthropological approaches to the problem of scientific knowledge. Social constructivism and actor-network theory

EEP22: Museums, Science and Technology

Course Unit Code: EEP22

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Internationally, exhibitions focusing on the natural sciences and technology are continuously developing. The aim of the course is to examine modern approaches to education in the sciences and technology within the context of a museum, considering the creation of a comprehensive experience for the visitor. The history of exhibition design includes a wealth of techniques that characterize each period. The course will explore how these methods have influenced the presentation of the sciences up to the present day. It will introduce the development techniques of science and technology exhibits, as well as the development of educational programs within the museum framework. What criteria define a successful and effective exhibition? What tools can be used for the development of educational programs targeting different age groups? Lastly, an overview and evaluation of the various outreach techniques available to museums will be conducted.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP22, the student is expected to:

Utilize modern approaches to education in the context of a museum.
Design exhibits based on science and technology.
Develop educational actions and educational programs for a techno-scientific museum.
Create integrated experiences for museum visitors.
Plan the outreach actions of a science and technology museum

Cognitive Subjects:

Contemporary approaches and educational tools for science and technology education.
Development of science and technology exhibits.
Development of educational programs in science and technology museums.
Outreach techniques for science and technology museums.

EEP31: Sciences and Technology in the public sphere

Course Unit Code: EEP31

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module:

The theme of this unit is the role of science and technology in the public sphere and discourse. It will examine the ideological function of technoscience and the role it plays in reproducing social norms. The formation of public discourse on science and technology will be studied by constructing the image of the scientist and engineer and using mass media. Additionally, the political role and function of experts in shaping hegemonic narratives about science and technology will be highlighted. Their role in shaping policies that gain credibility, persuasion, and social and political legitimacy through technocratic discourse will be evaluated. Scientific disputes will be examined as political conflicts or conflicts that constitute the notion of the political using various means. In the context of technoscientific conflicts, the role of citizens in the social evaluation of science and technology will be explored. Different types of expertise, based on experience and the experiential relationship with the environment, necessary for the formation and evaluation of modern technoscience, will be studied by analyzing various cases.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP31, the student is expected to be able to describe and discuss:

The ideological dimension of science and technology
The political and ideological function of experts
The political as well as epistemological importance of social movements for the formation of scientific and technical knowledge
The different types of intelligence involved in decision making on science and innovation issues
The ways in which they can contribute to the formation of a democratic framework for constructing science and managing innovation

Cognitive Subjects:

Science, technology and ideologies
Scientific controversies in the public space
Intelligence and democracy
Science, technology, power and social movements

EEP32: Research Design in Public Understanding of the Sciences

Course Unit Code: EEP32

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module:

This unit focuses on the methodology used for research in the social sciences. There is a plethora of methods that a researcher can employ based on the research questions formulated. In this course, the fundamental methodologies of qualitative and quantitative research will be presented (ethnographic research, content analysis, image analysis, comparative studies, case studies, etc.). What kinds of questions can be explored with each of these methods? When is the combination of multiple methods necessary? How can archives and databases be effectively used for research? Finally, techniques for writing research reports and presenting research results will be introduced.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the EEP32, the student is expected to be able to describe and discuss:

Know dominant research trends in the research field of Public Understanding of Science
Know the stages of conducting research
Search, locate, retrieve, organize, synthesize and critically evaluate literature data
Know basic research designs (qualitative, quantitative and mixed designs)
Formulate and establish a research objective and research questions and/or hypotheses based on a theoretical reflection and literature review
Know basic sampling methods and techniques in the context of quantitative and qualitative designs
Develop and evaluate basic tools for collecting empirical material in the context of quantitative and qualitative designs
Recognize the ethical and ethical issues raised in the context of data collection and indicate appropriate ways of handling them
Construct and write a small-scale empirical research project in the field of Public Understanding of Science.

Cognitive Subjects:

Quantitative and qualitative research methods
Research designs (qualitative, quantitative and mixed designs)
Applications of research designs in the Public Understanding of the Sciences.
Techniques for presenting research results

TEP51 Genealogies of Aesthetic Thought in The European and the Greek Movement of Monuments’ Protection: Theory and Application

Course Unit Code: TEP51

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: Module TEP51 acquaints students with a comparative and concise presentation of aesthetic thinking around the promotion and protection of cultural heritage in the European and Greek context. In this context, the difference between the historical-technical and aesthetic approach is emphasized, and ancient, Byzantine and Western approaches are critically presented.

Aesthetic theory is included as a branch in philosophical thought. On the other hand, there are independent approaches to restorative and cultural action in general. This module proposes with originality the theoretical convergence of aesthetics with restoration and construction action, introducing an imposed reflection, which is necessary in the Greek space.

First, some key aspects of ancient aesthetic views are recapitulated, such as the questionσ of harmony, symmetry, as well as the cosmos/eurythmy and light in Homer, the lyric poets, the Pre-Socratic, the Pythagoreans, Plato and Aristotle. Some basic aspects of the Byzantine aesthetic view are also recapitulated, such as the concept of beauty, the discourse on the city and architecture, plus the Neoplatonic view of light, image, allegorical representation and art. Then epigrammatic elements of the Western aesthetic theory are approached mainly through Kant. Although aesthetic issues were raised much earlier, the systematic discourse on aesthetics goes back to the 18th century.

TEP51 points out the moral, ideological and national dimension of aesthetic pursuits, given that ‘any search for aesthetics cannot be considered correct if it lacks moral content.’ Related are the contributions that examine the ideological dimension in the aesthetic view of Europe and the current questioning of the aesthetic discourse. At the same time, the aesthetic dimension of the urban experience is emphasized, which is strong in urban planning and its literary representation.

Following the above, European thought relating to the aesthetic enhancement of cultural heritage, including English, French, Austrian, and Italian, as well as Greek thought is summarized.

It should be noted that the appropriate connection with the next THE of the TEP is sought.

Learning Outcomes:

After completing the Course Module, students will be able to:

Have a broad understanding of the main paths of thought around aesthetic experience.
Understand the differences between the aesthetic and the historical-technical approach.
Move smoothly from theory to experience and back.
Critically capture similarities and differences between aesthetics, which are ultimately moral and ideological “persistences” and cultural “durations”.

Cognitive Subjects:

Recapitulation of Ancient, Byzantine and Western aesthetic view/theory.
Recapitulation of European thinking on the aesthetic promotion of cultural heritage (English thought: John Ruskin, French: Viollet le Duc, Austrian: Alois Riegl and Italian: Giovannoni and others, as well as Greek thought: Pikionis, Bouras, Korres, etc.
Issues of value, evaluation and prioritization. Ethical, ideological and national dimension of aesthetic pursuits.
Selected restoration projects, public works and landscaped spaces.

Evaluation: Completion of written assignments during the academic semester which constitute a 30 percent of each student’s grade, if a pass is obtained in the final or repetitive examination. Final exam grades constitute a 70 percent of the students’ final course grade.

Prerequisite courses: None

TEP61: Audiovisual communication media in museum and urban space

Course Unit Code: TEP61

Credits ECTS: 10

Course Type: Elective

Semester: Third (3^rd)

Language: Greek

Module Outline

Purpose – Description of the Module: TEP61 is a dynamic and modern module which examines the importance of audiovisual means of communication (photo, cinema, video,) for the representation of museum, urban and monumental space. The subject in question seeks to combine a theoretical and an applied (lab applications) approach, covering three main dimensions:

Theory and history of representation.
Transfer (transliteration) of theoretical texts into audiovisual language both in the case of the museum and the urban space.
Photos and moving images as historical evidence in any video and film format and for any use.

Regarding the first level, theory and history of representation are examined. Audiovisual media are systems of representation, i.e. of transmission of meaning. The power of the image, always enormous and acknowledged, has peaked nowadays. As is shown in TEP61, representation is a cultural practice of centrobaric importance, which concerns “common meanings” and values, resulting from the various media used. The development of shared perceptions, ideas, images and codes, including visual messages, is based on the material and symbolic world. The same is true of exhibition spaces such as museums and the works of art contained in them.

Representation is linked to identity and knowledge, as ideas and images are developed within contexts. Related aspects are the spectacle, poetics, the political dimension of representation, as well as the metaphysics of representation and the aura of artworks. Included in the examination are recent interdisciplinary art-biology encounters that link neuroscience to the concrete representation of cultural objects.

Regarding the second level, the role of moving images in the representation and perception of everyday urban landscapes is explored; this is based on the interdisciplinary dialogue around the cultural production of space, time and memory in modern museums and modern cities. Objects of examination are the contradictions embedded in the cinematography of today’s urban space, as well as the critical interaction between material and immaterial spaces and practices. This approach materializes through the importance of location in film practice and urban cultural theory from the 19th century onwards.

Based on important selected material, current analyses of what constitutes the political potential of filmic-audiovisual representation are approached, and the relationship between cinema and urban space is highlighted. Certain practices are explored, such as filming in specific spaces, time management, experiments with memory, as well as the interconnection of screen spaces and reality, in order to highlight the relationship between film and the urban space as a laboratory, and to understand the dynamics of the urban space, which constantly highlights new opportunities and new limits. Also, the conversion of text (‘language’) into audiovisual material (‘image’) is explored via examples through various techniques such as montage, reperage, decoupage. The meeting of spatiality in the two cases we are interested in (city/museum) with their political/aesthetic/ethical considerations is highlighted through their audio-visual recording.

Regarding the third level, audiovisual media, past and present (digital technology products), are examined as archival materials, with an emphasis on the relationship between the city/museum as spectacle and the city/museum as archive. Art museums and major libraries developed their photographic record in parallel from the mid-19th century onwards. Filmic recording followed from the 19th century as historical evidence. The above procedures for converting visual to archival are reviewed here.

Learning Outcomes:

The completion of this course enables students to:

Possess theoretical aspects of audiovisual media, with an emphasis on museum and urban spaces.
Possess and utilize applied/practical dimensions of audio-visual media, with an emphasis on transcribing texts related to museums and urban spaces into images.
Utilize the new audio-visual technologies in recording and viewing urban, monumental and museum spaces.
Examine audiovisual media as archival materials in the case of museums and urban space, with an emphasis on monumental space.

Prerequisite courses: None