Sumários

Aula 4

27 Setembro 2024, 08:00 • Mário Vítor Bastos

The class began with a discussion on oral traditions, culture, and the relationship between the two. The professor posed the question, "Is it possible for culture to exist without writing?" After a pause, a student named Juliana responded, saying she believed it was possible because many cultures preserved knowledge orally without written records.

Another student, Antonia, added that cultures throughout the world had rich oral traditions, which were passed down through generations. She argued that knowledge could be just as valuable when transmitted orally, challenging the perspective that written records were the only way to preserve culture.

The class explored the idea that oral traditions were often dismissed in Western culture because it placed a greater value on written texts. The professor pointed out that even prehistoric societies, through their material culture—tools, artifacts, and structures—showed evidence of deep knowledge and traditions, despite the absence of written language.

As the discussion progressed, the professor and students examined how memory played a significant role in the preservation of oral traditions. One of the students mentioned how people memorized poems and stories as a way of safeguarding cultural knowledge, even in the absence of written texts. The professor noted that while memory was essential in oral traditions, written literature eventually stimulated and reinforced these traditions.

It was also discussed global perspectives, with examples of Indigenous cultures and their oral traditions. It was mentioned that many traditions were eventually transcribed by Western scholars in the 19th century. A reference to Homer came up, suggesting that the Iliad and the Odyssey might have initially been sets of oral stories before being written down and becoming the foundational texts of Western literature.

The conversation shifted briefly to fashion and cultural identity. A student remarked that fashion evolved from simple protection against the elements to a form of social and cultural expression. It was debated how fashion reflected identity and the complexities of modern capitalist society, where it often became a marker of status and cultural distinction.

The professor then transitioned to discussing aesthetic and ethical values in art, particularly in cinema. They discussed how films could be technically brilliant, yet morally questionable. The example of detective films, or film noir, was raised, where morally ambiguous characters often dominated the narrative, yet these films remained captivating and beloved.

A philosophical discussion followed, where the class contemplated the idea of humans as anomalies in the universe. They reflected on humanity’s ability to manipulate the environment and how this capacity distanced people from the natural world. The professor asked if this meant that humans were no longer part of nature, leading to a deeper reflection on the tension between human culture and the natural environment.

A reflection on the human condition followed. They suggested that the awareness of self, along with imagination and reason, disrupted the harmony that once characterized human existence within the natural world. This reflection concluded with a thought-provoking question: “Are humans an anomaly in the universe?”

Towards the end of the lecture, the conversation shifted to modern culture, particularly social media. TikTok was mentioned, and the class talked about how influencers on the platform shaped beauty standards and behavior. A student noted that many of these influencers fit conventional beauty standards, which made them more appealing to viewers.

Finally, the topic of creation myths came up, and the professor introduced the class to both Biblical Genesis and Indigenous American creation stories. It was discussed how these myths contained universal themes about the origins of life and the universe. A reading of traditional poetry on the theme followed.

The professor thanked the students for their participation and announced that the next week’s classes would be canceled, due to professional duties out of Lisbon, giving them some time to relax and complete the reading assignment.

---

O Conceito de Cultura — 2

26 Setembro 2024, 15:30 • Amândio Reis

1. Leitura e comentário da segunda parte do capítulo "O Conceito de Cultura" (1.2.2. Evolução, em diante), do manual Teorias da Cultura, de Maria Laura Bettencourt Pires (Lisboa: U. Católica Editora, 2006).

1.1. Regresso ao axioma de partida e sua discussão: "[Cultura é] aquilo que distingue o humano do animal".

1.2. Relações entre o ponto anterior e a dicotomia tradicional entre "cultura" e "natureza", tomando em consideração a deriva filológica do termo "cultura", a partir de "processos agrícolas ou hortícolas" (p. 39).

1.3. Síntese da evolução histórica do termo: os seis pontos da categorização actual de "cultura", correspondendo, em última análise, a seis possibilidades distintas de sentido/definição.

O Estudo das Culturas

Sumários

Aula 4

O Conceito de Cultura — 2

Continuação da matéria do sumário anterior

Aula 4

Da noção ao conceito de cultura. Continuação