Autofocus’18 – mind the link:link the mind

The Autofocus 2018 Seminars were promoted by the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Porto, an R&D unit—strategic project 2015-2020 financed by the FCT Foundation for Science and Technology with Ref. UI&D/Fil/00502—under MLAG Mind, Language and Action [research] Group and the Autofocus [af] Project, in partnership with the Rectory of the University of Porto, the Faculties of Architecture, Sciences and Arts, the i3s Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, the CEAU-FAUP Centre for Studies in Architecture and Urbanism, the FIMS Architect Marques da Silva Foundation and the MMUS Master in Museology.

The objective of the event was to promote interdisciplinary research and development in the academic community in general and in the organizational units involved with the purpose of fostering good practices in the cooperative intersection of Sciences and Humanities with emphasis from the areas involved in the Autofocus project, namely Architecture, Philosophy and Neuroscience.

The most specific theme of these seminars [af]’18 focused on the agents that produce the constructed environment, either from the studies and the results that the neurosciences currently offer us, and will be developed in order to show the decisive impact of the Technique for the scientific achievements, to pave the way for the deepening of the Sciences and, to close the circle, to enable the technological development that supports our societies today. From the point of view of its complexity the environment thus constructed rests on agency strata, and in its hierarchy of decisions, where the technological is shown as irreducible vital support, and requires permanent reconfigurations.

Keynote speakers

Michael Arbib
Juhani Pallasmaa
Sarah Robinson
Petra Čeferin

Discussants

João Bettencourt Relvas
Pedro Borges de Araújo
Sofia Miguens
Paula Menino Homem
Fátima Vieira
Carlos Machado e Moura

Organization

Pedro Borges de Araújo