DECONSTRUCTING THE DOMINATING ESTABLISHED CONCEPTS ABOUT A STUDENT – A PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAY

Abstract

This paper is a result of a research called: "The cognitive ilusion – antrophological roots of the contemporary educational descourse" under Professor Lílian do Valle coordination, in the Education Post-graduation Programme at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Due to the need to reflect upon some of the pre-established concepts in the educacional field related to the kind of student we would like to have as an output of our educational system, which is based on a cognitive and rational conceptions. Those same conceptions have their foundations in the representation constructed about the human being in the historical period of modernity. Therefore, we searched for some modern philosophycal authors contributions (Descartes and Locke) and some theoretical researchers as well (Etienne Balibar and Jean-Marie Vaysse). Those contributions have led us to the study of the theme in its preconceptions, actually they were concerned with the before handed historical periods (Ancient History and Middle Ages). Since the ultimate aim has been to analyse the consequences of the representation to the current concepts about students, we have tried to connect the theme with contemporary issues about the human formation, not only in the educational field, but also in the ethical, the psychoanalytical and in the political fields - One can hardly deny their close relations. Some authors have been crucial in this reflection so far, such as: Castoriadis, Hannah Arendt and Maria Rita Kehl – They all focus on the questions of autonomy development, which is essential to our research.