Class Introduction to Contemporary Thought

The University's mission transcends technical-labour frameworks, enabling autonomous decision-making, without giving in to the defence of HR in the relativistic broth of contemporaneity. Critical thinking is the field of action of this CU. It presents the contemporary world in its structuring epistemic matrices and its eloquent dynamism in emerging educational themes. Going through cultural paradigms, the course identifies dominant socio-cognitive patterns, assessing the loss or corruption of universal humanist values. Enlightened, attentive and creative thinking is the laboratory of this CU: it argues that critical-analytical competence should be transversal to the student's curriculum, combined with a strong cultural investment, rejecting debates empty of ideas and values. In the context of global citizenship, there is an urgent need to train professionals in interventional science who are resilient in the face of new situations, be they economic, political, religious or otherwise

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1. The "Self" and the "World": interfaces of human thought 1.1 What does "thinking" mean? 1.2 To which extent do we decide, feel, act? 1.3 The free interpretation of existence: the greatest human power 1.4. The power of the educator?   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, 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