Farias Brito and the defense of philosophy education in Brazil: a critique of the positivist education reform
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36517/arf.v18i1.96873Keywords:
Farias Brito. Teaching of Philosophy. Brazilian Philosophy. Positivism.Abstract
Raimundo Farias Brito (1962-1917) was destined to elevate philosophical speculation in Brazil to a level never before attained: he was the first Brazilian philosopher to engage in dialogue with modern European philosophical systems and dare to offer his own interpretation of reality, challenging established opinions. The philosopher from Ceará dedicated his life to teaching, especially philosophy, and served as a private tutor at several secondary and higher education institutions. His philosophical approach was critical of the Positivism of the First Republic, whose advocates, despite being inspired by the ideas of the philosopher Auguste Comte (19th century), acted against the teaching of philosophy, as was the case with the Benjamin Constant Reform (1890), which excluded the subject from the secondary school curriculum, a disregard for philosophical and humanistic thought in favor of technicality and pragmatism. This article is based on a bibliographical analysis of the historical context and aims to highlight the foundations of Benjamin Constant's positivist Reform and its relationship with other reforms, emphasizing the position taken by Farias Brito, and serving as a contribution to the reflection on the place of Philosophy in the basic education curriculum and its current challenges with the revival of the ideals of extreme right-wing conservatism.
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