Abstract
Philosophy as a subject might disappear from Spanish secondary education, and its place at the university becomes more and more marginal. Basing on this fact, this article considers the usefulness and uselessness of Philosophy, its connection with democracy and its particular specificity in in the whole of human knowledge. The discussion extends to the relationship between Philosophy and society and its place in higher education, with special consideration to the Spanish case. These conclusions are proposed. 1) Even if it lacks immediate utility, Philosophy always accompanies social flourishing; it fulfills a role that is both critical and integrating. 2) As for the Spanish case, a failure and self-encapsulation of philosophy should be noted, and this cannot be ignore in the reflections and complaints by Spanish philosophers about their current situation. 3) The conception of university with market approaches that is being imposed nowadays is self-contradictory. We must reckon that an institution of higher education aimed to produce knowledge and to preserve social hegemony will exist on. The question is not whether philosophy will have a place there, but how it will perform it. Leaving the question open, some final proposals are made.
Highlights
Palabras clave: universidad; educación; democracia; Manuel Sacristán; Gustavo Bueno; mercantilización de la universidad; proceso de Bolonia
Philosophy as a subject might disappear from Spanish secondary education, and its place at the university becomes more and more marginal
The discussion extends to the relationship between Philosophy and society and its place in higher education, with special consideration to the Spanish case
Summary
Si es buena señal que una sociedad exhiba en sus museos grandes obras de arte que los turistas visitan con fruición, o que en ella se ejecute regularmente para el gran público, en salas de concierto, todo el repertorio de la gran música occidental, también lo es que las grandes obras de la Filosofía tengan un lugar estable donde se comenten y se transmitan. Aquí surgen dos preguntas adicionales, nada fáciles de abordar: por un lado, no todo ser humano, ni siquiera todo ser humano inteligente, tiene que estar dotado para las preguntas filosóficas, o tener sensibilidad para ellas —como no tiene por qué estarlo para la música, para el dibujo o para el deporte—; de hecho, los propios filósofos han cultivado a menudo un cierto elitismo que les distingue y separa del conjunto de sus conciudadanos, con los que se han entendido regular o mal. La reflexión sobre esta segunda cuestión sería larga, y no puede tener lugar aquí; pero no deja de estar relacionada con la primera —sobre la exclusividad de la filosofía—, y creo que ambas lo están con la relación entre filosofía y democracia a la que me refería al principio
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