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Reflections about design and humanism in the contemporaneous world
man, since it is about an applied social science. In this sense, it is necessary to
consider the distinction between explaining, that corresponds to the mathematical
paradigm, working in the ambit of casualty, in structures such as “This happened
because that happened”, and understanding, that corresponds to the paradigm of
the social sciences, working in the ambit of intentionality, in structures like “This
happened so that can happen”, in which the intentionality plays a prominent role.
What is the technical rationality? The technical rationality is worried about
explaining and pre-saying reality to satisfy the human needs. The scientist of the field
of natural/exact sciences, observe and describe the phenomenons as an outsider.
The technical rationality provides instrumental knowledge, technical-operative
competences, it is based on prescriptive codes.
What is the rationality of the applied social science? The rationality of the human
sciences is concerned about understanding the reality of the social phenomena.
The design/architecture/urbanism applied social science needs to understand and
problematize the social phenomena, to intervene, and the designer/architect/
urbanist integrates and has the ability of participating in his own object of study
and intervention.
It is important to take into consideration this context to integrate the principles
of humanist education in the formation of the designer. It is about defining the
role of the theoretical-critical disciplines in design teaching and research. Such
disciplines are not auxiliaries, but they enhance the level of comprehension of the
reality in which the designer is going to act and of his own action.
It is not an exaggeration to affirm that, nowadays, there is a process of “fastfood”
in superior teaching: low price, it relieves the hunger, but the menu is restrict,
the nutritional value is questionable and it generates obesity.
Thinking the relations between humanism and design in the Brazilian context
requires the consideration of our historical specificities and cultural inheritances.
For that, it is worth highlighting the thought of Marilena Chauí:
The Brazilian society is marked by the hierarchical
structure of the social space that determines the form of
an extremely vertical society in all its aspects: the social
and inter-subjective relations are always carried out as
the relation between a superior, who gives orders, and an
Cadernos de Estudos Avançados em Design - design e humanismo - 2013 - p. 149-156
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