A teoria das capacidades de Martha Nussbaum e o papel da formação humana na educação contemporânea

Abstract

This research has the main objective of explore the theme of humanist education, anchored in Nussbaum's theory of central capacities, as well as presenting aspects that support the relevance of philosophy as a component of the humanities for the expanded formation of the subject. The aim is to answer, using bibliographic sources, the following question: What is the contribution of Nussbaum's theory of capacities to human formation and contemporary education? Guided by this question, the study unfolds in three steps: The first addresses the concept of capacities, considered by the author as both minimum rights that indicate what people are effectively capable of being and doing and as indispensable requirements for a worthy life. The second thematizes the concepts of Socratic self-examination, world citizenship and narrative imagination. By these, Nussbaum reiterates the humanist perspective of formation for a democratic citizenship. Finally, the third step is to explore the theme of humanistic education based on the author's theory of core capacities. It is concluded that, due to the fact that technicist and utilitarian conceptions of formation fall on current education, those cannot sufficiently empower subjects to live in a democratic society. Given that it needs critical citizens and who are able “to put themselves in each other's shoes”, it results that humanities formation, as conceived by Nussbaum, can contribute to the strengthening of a broader and more democratic education, capable of better preparing citizens to live in a plural and diverse society. In this way, philosophy is given the emphasis on the strengthening of humanities, since the formation provided by it meets the conditions of encompassing an expanded subject formation.