Class Introduction to Contemporary Thought

The mission of the university transcends mere technical-labor frameworks, enabling autonomous decision making, without giving in to the defence of human rights to the relativist, nihilistic and eclectic broth of contemporaneity. Critical thinking is the field of action of this CU It presents the contemporary world in the epistemic structuring matrices and also in the eloquent dynamism of the latest emerging themes. By following cultural paradigms, the CU identifies dominant socio-cognitive patterns, assessing the solidity, loss or corruption of universal humanist values. This CU defends that critical-analytical competence should be transversal to the student's curriculum, allied to a strong cultural investment, rejecting empty debates of ideas and concepts. It is urgent, in the framework of global citizenship, to train professionals of interventional science, resilient in new situations, whether they are economic, axiological, political, religious or other.

1. The "Self" and the "World": interfaces of human thought

1.1 What does "thinking" really mean and how do we do it?

1.2 To which extent do we decide, feel, act?

1.3 The free interpretation of existence: the greatest human power

2. "World" and paradigms: the interpretation of human thought

2.1 From the Mythological Paradigm to New Urban Mythologies: naturocentrisms

2.2 From the Faithful Paradigm to New Religious Movements: Theocentrisms

2.3 From the critical paradigm to the New Science for Evidence: anthropocentrisms

2.4 From the eclectic paradigm to the Global Age: the brave New World of human thought

3. "World" and complexity: aporias, dilemmas or apocalypses

3.1 From enlightened modernity to rebellious post-modernity: cultural divisions

3.2 Resentment, dissolution, anarchy, nihilism: anti-systemicity

3.3 Tribalism, populism, hedonism, relativism: anti-paradigmatic

3.4 The civic vanguard of critical thinking: is there a common future?

3.5 Human responsibility: the greatest irony?

Pedagogical modalities that facilitate the learning objectives are practised, ensuring the respective acquisition of competences. Specifically, each class uses:

1. the dialogic method (commonly known as "Debate Club"), starting each weekly session with the selection (made by the class in the first 10 minutes) of the most media case (at national or world level) that has effects (direct or indirect) in this scientific area, provoking the attention of professionals in it

2. at the end of the lesson, after the initial discussion, the course of this and the subsequent presentation (in charge of the teacher), a critical synthesis of the results, observations and suggestions is made (together with the class) in a short collective thematic text

3. this text is published on Moodle every week and, under the aegis of Critical Thinking, is included as the final assessment for each student

4. this text is included, from year to year, in the UC Handbook (published as a technical book by the teacher)

AGAMBEN, Giorgio - A Potência do Pensamento. Lisboa: Relógio D'Água, 2013. ISBN 9789896412487

ARENDT, Hannah - Responsabilidade e Juízo. Lisboa: Dom Quixote, 2007. ISBN 9789722027892

BAUDRILLARD, Jean - A Sociedade de Consumo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 2008. ISBN 9789724415215

BAUMAN, Zygmunt - Vida Fragmentada: ensaios sobre a Moral Pós-Moderna. Lisboa: Relógio D'Água, 2007. ISBN 9789727089321

BROSIG, Malte. (ed.) - Human Rights in Europe: A Fragmented Regime? Oxford: Peter Lang, 2006.  ISBN 9783631544587

DAMÁSIO, António - O Sentimento de Si. Corpo, Emoção e Consciência.  Lisboa: Temas e Debates, 2013. ISBN 9789896442279 

HEIDEGGER, Martin - Carta sobre o Humanismo. Lisboa: Guimarães, 1998. ISBN 9789726650362

JONAS, Hans - El principio de responsabilidad. Ética y civilización tecnológica, Madrid: Herder, 2004. ISBN 9788425419010

LIPOVETSKY, Gilles - Da Leveza. Para uma Civilização do Ligeiro. Lisboa: Edições 70, 2016. ISBN 9789724418780