Fernando Gil International Prize

His teaching obviously reflected this general tendency of his thinking. In Portugal, first in the University of Lisbon, as from 1976, and later, as from 1979, in the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the New University of Lisbon where he was, from 1988 on, Full Professor of Philosophy of Knowledge. And in France, where he was, since 1989, “Director of Studies” in the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris. Furthermore, he was a Visiting Professor at several universities, namely, in the last years of his life, at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Contributions for the development of philosophical and scientific knowledge in Portugal

Besides the teaching, he carried out activities in the field of the encyclopedic universe. He was consultant of the Encyclopedia Britannica, of the Encyclopedia Universalis and the Encyclopedia Einaudi (of which he coordinated a Portuguese edition, published by Imprensa Nacional, as of 1984). He also made all his knowledge available for projects promoting the development of philosophical and scientific knowledge in Portugal. In this sense, he was special adviser to the President of the Republic, Dr. Mário Soares, during both his mandates, as well as to the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Mariano Gago. He also was a permanent collaborator of the Foundation for Science and Technology and, later, of the Foundation Gulbenkian. The effects of these collaborations were decisive for the development of the philosophical research in Portugal, which owes him a lot.

Some of the works he directed testify the extraordinary quality of this dedication, namely Controvérsias científicas e filosóficas (Fragmentos, Lisbon, 1990), O balanço do século (IN/CM, Lisbon, 1990), A ciência como cultura (IN/CM, Lisbon, 1992) and A ciência tal qual se faz (Lisbon, Sá da Costa, 1999). And also Fichte: crença, imaginação, temporalidade, organized together with Virginia López-Domínguez and Luísa Couto-Soares (Campo das Letras, Oporto, 2002), O processo da crença, coordinated in collaboration with Pierre Livet and João Pina Cabral (Gradiva, Lisbon, 2004) and Terrorismo e relações internacionais (Gradiva and Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, 2006). And, maybe in this context even more important than the previously mentioned works – the creation of the magazine Análise in 1984, for whose coordination he was responsible until number 20 (1998), following more ephemeral projects like Estudos filosóficos and Filosofia e epistemologia.

Work impact

The importance of Fernando Gil for philosophy – that led, among other editions, to the publication of books such as those organized by António Braz Teixeira (A razão apaixonada, IN/CM, Lisbon, 2008) and Maria Filomena Molder (Paisagens dos confins. Fernando Gil (Vendaval, Lisbon, 2009) – is not limited to the just mentioned. The impact of his philosophical activity manifests itself in the influence of his works, especially in Portugal, Brazil, France and Italy, and on the philosophical constructions that owe him their source of inspiration.

Distinctions

Finally, some prizes and honours he was awarded should be mentioned. Grande Oficial da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique (1992), Prémio Pessoa (1993), Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques (1995), Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Aveiro (1998). Two of his books were also chosen for awards: Mimésis e Negação (“Prémio de Ensaio” of the Portuguese PEN Club, 1985), Viagens do Olhar. Retrospecção, Visão e Profecia no Renascimento Português, in collaboration with Helder Macedo (Prize Jacinto Prado Coelho, 1998, “Prémio de Ensaio” of the Portuguese PEN Club, 1988).

Acknowledgement

The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation would like to acknowledge the collaboration and support given by Professor Paulo Tunhas. His contributions were of great importance to this first edition of Fernando Gil International Prize.