The Instituto de Filosofia (IF) of the University of Porto (UP) is an established Research Unit with activities in various domains of Philosophy. The IF holds full autonomy in defining its research programs and activities, as well as in the use of the available funding. It is located at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto (FLUP) which has the responsibility of managing the funds, according to the rules of public service, funding authorities and the UP.
In 2013-2017, the IF was organized in 3 research areas (Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy (MEMP); Modern and Contemporary Philosophy (MCP) and Philosophy of Education (PE), comprising 7 Research Groups (RGs). In 2017, research areas were concentrated (MEMP; MCP) and the number of RGs was reduced to 6. The IF has had, on average per year, 55 integrated researchers (PhDs) and currently has 57, affiliated with universities, polytechnics and other institutions that promote the study and the research in Philosophy or the dissemination to the general public.
It hosts Master and PhD students and presently gathers a total of 63 researchers. The projects, publications, involvement in graduate teaching and multidisciplinary partnerships place the IF in a high ranked position concerning research in philosophy. Such has being acknowledged both national and internationally. In the research assessments carried out by FCT to date, the IF was classified as three times as Excellent, one as Very Good.
The IF is led by the conviction that Philosophy and research in philosophy are an indispensable contribution to the understanding of great issues regarding humanity and society. The IF is thus committed to sharing its research through its research groups, projects and members, through partnerships and networks, and through collaboration with other institutions.
According to its statutes, the Institute has a Director, who is the scientific coordinator, an Executive Committee, a Scientific Council (gathering all PI responsible for the approval of research activities and funding of the RG), the Assembly of Researchers (all PhDs, with advisory functions), and a Board of Advisors.
In order to manage the central activities of the Institute (both financial and scientific) and promote the dissemination of information, the Institute hired a Science and Technology Manager (BGCT) to assist the Director and help the different RG and PI to organize, promote and carry out planned activities.
IF WEBSITE (http://ifilosofia.up.pt) is the public face of our activities and research commitments. All information concerning the Institute's projects and activities is available on the website, which also serves as a medium of communication between the RG. Each RG has its own pages within IF's website, where all activities and publications are registered under the IP's supervision. The IF website is an open access website, prepared to make publications and other research results publically available.
To improve the quality and assure a standard of research and a set of common organization definitions, the Scientific Council approved in 2008 the "IF Bill of Quality and organization of Research». This strategic document fixes quality standards to be met by results, meetings, publications, creation of groups, integration of researchers, and, in general, organization of research within the Institute.
IF research is closely connected with graduate teaching in the Department of Philosophy of FLUP and to post-graduate teaching (Masters in Philosophy, Masters in Philosophy Teaching and Doctoral Program in Philosophy). Thus, students carrying out Master theses or PhD dissertations in the Department of Philosophy are in general members of one of the IF’s research groups.
The IF is strongly committed to promote domain-specific research to become or continue to be a leading national reference in some of those domains, and also to extend its work to the worldwide Portuguese speaking philosophical community.
Funding
IF's strategic project for 2020-2023 is funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).
Reference: UIDB/00502/2020
UIDP/00502/2020
Executive Committee / Comissão Executiva
- José Meirinhos (Director / Scientific Coordinator)
- Mattia Riccardi
- Paula Cristina Pereira
Scientific Council / Conselho Científico
- José Meirinhos (President)
- João Rebalde
- Maria Celeste Natário
- Maria Eugénia Vilela
- Maria Joana Gomes
- Maria João Couto
- Mattia Riccardi
- Paula Cristina Pereira
- Paula Oliveira e Silva
- Paulo Tunhas
- Renato Epifânio
- Sofia Miguens Travis
International Board of Advisors (2020-2023)
- Prof. Danièle Cohn (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
- Prof. Maarten Hoenen (Universität Basel)
- Prof. Mark Kalderon (University College London - UK)
Objectives
The main aim of the Institute of Philosophy is to foster and to support research in philosophy and to make it available to the widest possible audience, both in and outside the academia, in Portugal and abroad. This is to be accomplished mostly through the Institute’s publications and the events it organizes (conferences, seminars, workshops, lectures, colloquia, etc.).
The Institute’s research activity is carried out in close connection with graduate teaching developed in the Philosophy Department.
The Institute is strongly committed to excellence and to be a leading national and international reference in key areas of philosophical research. Accordingly, it promotes domain-specific theoretical collaboration among Portuguese academic philosophers.
The Institute also aims at extending its reach to the worldwide Portuguese-speaking philosophical community. The Institute has established protocols with other Portuguese research units or groups, namely in the areas of Language, Mind and Cognition, Phenomenology, Medieval Philosophy and Philosophy of Education, Portuguese thinking. Cooperation agreements with research groups in several other countries have also been signed. These protocols and agreements and the network they represent underlie interuniversity degrees in several domains of philosophy, connected with the research carried on within the Institute.
History / História
O Instituto de Filosofia (IF) é uma unidade de investigação criada em 1986 por iniciativa da então Secção de Filosofia da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto (FLUP), hoje Departamento de Filosofia. A Faculdade de Letras é a unidade de acolhimento e de gestão financeira do Instituto de Filosofia. Atualmente o Instituto de Filosofia tem 52 “investigadores integrados” (i.e. doutorados com contrato com instituição de ensino ou investigação, segundo a definição da FCT) provenientes de 8 instituições de ensino superior, sendo a maioria da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto..
Desde 1998, o IF é uma unidade de investigação reconhecida e financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Unidade I&D 502. Neste âmbito, o IF foi quatro vezes avaliado por painéis internacionais da FCT, tendo obtido a classificação de Excelente (1998, 2003, 2008). Na avaliação de 2013-2014 pela European Science Foundation / FCT o IF obteve a classificação de Muito Bom.
O IF faz parte do sistema científico nacional sendo a sua atividade auditada e avaliada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.
O Instituto de Filosofia rege-se por um Regulamento aprovado pelo seu Conselho Científico e pelo Conselho Científico da Faculdade de Letras.
Assembleia de investigadores do Instituto
Constituída pelos investigadores integrados doutorados do Instituto.
Conselho Científico do Instituto
Constituído por 2 representantes de cada Grupo de Investigação ativo (Investigador principal e um investigador por cada grupo).
Former IF Presidents / Scientific Coordinators
- 1986-1998: Prof. Doutor Eduardo Abranches de Soveral
- 1998-2007: Prof.ª Doutora Maria Cândida Pacheco
- 2007-2008: Prof. Doutor Adalberto Dias de Carvalho
- 2008-2010; 2010-2014; 2014-2017: Prof. Doutor José Meirinhos
- 2017-2019: Prof.ª Doutora Paula Oliveira e Silva
- 2019-2022: Prof.ª Doutora Sofia Miguens
Science and Communication Manager
Gestão de Ciência / Gestão de Comunicação
Dr.ª Isabel Marques: [email protected]