Was heißt Materialismus?
Jan Völker
Institute of Studies in Art and Art Education, Philosophy
2026S, scientific seminar (SEW), 4.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S05848
Scientific bachelor seminar for teacher education
Description
What does it mean to think materialistically? One might assume that those who think materialistically reckon with the smallest unit of measurement, which is supposed to form the material basis of our thoughts and actions. One might think that those who think materialistically look at the material prerequisites and trace social issues, politics, and art back to these. But is materialism simply the regime of the countable? In contrast to this is the tradition of materialistic thinking, which focuses on contingency, emptiness, and contradiction, and aligns materialism as critical thinking against the appearance of sensory certainty. What counts for this materialism is not what is, but the crack, the surprise, the division that runs through the given and forms the basis of all things. The seminar is dedicated to this tradition, with texts by Democritus, Lucretius, Hegel, Marx, Althusser, and others.
Examination Modalities
The seminar will be held in German.
A detailed seminar schedule will be distributed at the beginning of the first session. The texts will be made available in the cloud as early as possible, but at least one week before the session.
Requirements for successful participation:
- Regular attendance (min. 80%)
- Reading of the relevant texts in preparation for the individual sessions
- Active participation
- Writing of 3 short essays during the course of the seminar. The deadlines for submitting the essays are spread throughout the semester and will be announced at the beginning of the seminar. The last essay must be presented and discussed in the seminar.
Key Words
Philosophie, Materialismus
Dates
Mon, 09 March 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 20
Mon, 23 March 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 13 April 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 20 April 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 27 April 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 04 May 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 11 May 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 18 May 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 01 June 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 20
Mon, 08 June 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 15 June 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 21
Mon, 22 June 2026, 18:00–19:30 Seminar Room 20
Course Enrolment
From 02 February 2026, 09:00 to 23 March 2026, 09:01
Via online registration
Curriculum Allocation
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.85
Art Education: subject kkp (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 067/003.80
Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften 067/003.25
Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject tex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 071/003.80
Art Education: subject dae (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 072/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.85
Art Education: subject dex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 074/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften 074/003.25
Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
TransArts - Transdisciplinary Arts (Bachelor): Theoretical foundations: Theoretical foundations 180/003.01
Expanded Museum Studies (Master): Electives: Philosophy 537/080.18
Stage Design (2. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Philosophie 542/207.04
Media Arts: Specialisation in Transmedia Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie und Geschichte : Philosophie 566/208.08
Media Arts: Specialisation in Digital Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie, Geschichte: Philosophie 567/208.08
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 1: Philosophy 568/005.07
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 2: Philosophy 568/006.07
Cross-Disciplinary Strategies (Master): Study Areas 4-6: Study Area 4: Philosophy 569/022.04
Design: Specialisation in Design and Narrative Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Fundamentals: Humanities 576/203.02
Design: Specialisation in Communication Design (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 577/203.02
Conservation and Restoration (2. Section): Geisteswissenschaften: Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte 588/204.10
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Art Theory, Cultural Studies, Art History, Philosophy 605/202.01
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Free Electives out of Scientific and Research Practice 605/202.80
Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 626/203.02
Cross-Disciplinary Strategies (Bachelor): Philosophy: Deepening / Application 700/003.20
Co-registration: possible
Attending individual courses: possible