Introduction to Contemporary Thought

Presentation

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.

Part of this Programme

Accounting, Taxation and Auditing

Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS

| Semestral | 4

Year | Type of course unit | Language

1 |Mandatory |Português

Code

ULHT172-117

Recommended complementary curricular units

This CU does not have precedence and does not necessarily imply subjects to be bound in the future. However, it willingly articulates with any other CU in the humanist sphere, aiming at critical thinking and ethical-liberal social and cognitive systems.

Prerequisites and co-requisites

n/a

Professional Internship

Não

Syllabus

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?

Objectives

1. Knowledge to be acquired:

1.1. broad culture about Humanism: beginning, matrix, founding concepts, permanent values

1.2. culture directed and applied to burning contemporary issues (in the area of scientific training of students)

1.3. deliberative case studies on decisions, value judgements and civic attitudes (in the area of students' vocational training)

2. Skills to be acquired:

2.1. identification of the structuring paradigms of the complex contemporary world

2.1. identification of thinking typified in diversified cultural matrices

2.2. humanist appreciation of cultural differences (in the area of scientific training for students)

2.3. defence of the cognitive heritage of democracies and plural axiologies ((in the area of vocational training of students)

3. Skills to be developed

3.1. speculative and concetual culture

3.2. pragmatism, critical thinking and civic intervention

3.3. protection of universal human rights

3.4. creativity and resilience

Teaching methodologies and assessment

Each class has and exhausts ONE theme of the program, which the student must prepare one week in advance through scheduled readings and the response to a Question-Course, left at the end of the previous session (element that is worth 20% of the Final Grade for the UC). The thematic exposure in class takes place in dialogic and interrogative mode, privileging the student's reasoning and critical spirit formation; at the end of each session the theme is applied to a relevant and related case study. The continuous evaluation (conditioned to 70% attendance, see ULHT Regulation) is done in two written tests (each one worth 40% of the final classification). They are distanced in time and privilege answers of solid concetual basis (with support in the pedagogical materials provided), but also the ability to link creatively and critically to the professional field of Accounting, Taxation and Auditing of the current consequences of complex and relativistic Contemporary Thinking.

References

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  

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