Formative helpessness and the role of the philosopher in contemporary times: Between training and professional practice

Abstract

The article investigates the phenomenon of formative helplessness in undergraduate Philosophy programs and its consequences for the role of the philosopher, particularly in the articulation between formative processes and professional practice. The central objective is to problematize the exclusivity of the History of Philosophy and to examine how this exclusivity contributes to a sense of formative inadequacy. The study brings together institutional documents, as well as the Brazilian Classification of Occupations, the professional profile of the Philosophy program at UNESP, the Student Guide, and the Careers Guide, in order to understand the image constructed of this professional and the possible fields of practice in which they may be engaged. In this sense, the mismatch between the education offered and the reality experienced by graduates reveals a structural problem, both in the formative dimension of Philosophy education and in the limitations related to the philosopher’s field of practice, as well as to their very role in contemporary society.