EDUCATION AS REPRODUCTION: ANTICIPATIONS FROM ÁLVARO VIEIRA PINTO TO ALTHUSSER

Abstract

This study discusses the social function of education from the critical-reproductive perspective found in the works of Álvaro Vieira Pinto and Louis Althusser. The aim of this article is to comprehend and assess the authors' conception of the social function of formal education in a class-based society. For that, a qualitative research approach was employed, conducting a bibliographic study with a focus on the comparative analysis of two works: "A Questão da Universidade," written in Brazil in 1961, and "Ideologia e Aparelhos Ideológicos do Estado," published in France in 1970. To systematize and analyze the data, the theoretical-methodological framework of Analysis of the Movements of Senses (AMS) was employed, resulting in the synthesis presented in this text. With the support of additional bibliography, data was produced, highlighting similarities and connections among the works of the featured authors. In the research results, Álvaro Vieira Pinto's originality was evident, even compared to the germinal work of Louis Althusser. The Brazilian philosopher's work anticipates fundamental aspects of Reproduction Theories approximately a decade before Althusser's acclaimed work was published. It is concluded that it is important to know and update Álvaro Vieira Pinto's work is crucial, as he remains relatively understudied in the country. This work contributed to the recognition of the Brazilian philosopher in addition to pointing out promising directions for future investigations within the scope of formal education. Moreover, this essay suggests expanding the understanding of the critical-reproductive perspective, considering it an indispensable, albeit not sufficient, framework for contemplating education in general and schools in particular.