The guest speaker was Professor João Cardoso Rosas, from the University of Minho, who introduced us to the main theories of ethics through a presentation entitled:

"From virtue to duty: the imperative character of modern ethics"

Professor João Cardoso Rosas has a degree and a master's degree from the University of Porto; PhD from the European University Institute - Florence) is an Associate Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Minho and a recurring visiting professor at the Portuguese Catholic University. He was Michael Teague Visiting Professor at Brown University (2001) and Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Justice - University of Oxford (2008). His scientific work focuses, above all, in the area of ​​contemporary Political Philosophy. In addition to books and scientific articles, he has written regularly in the general press (currently in the Diário Económico newspaper). He is a member of the Scientific Council of the Portuguese Society of Philosophy and President of the Portuguese Association of Political Science.

It was also presented and commented on a manuscript of the 5th Morgado de Mateus, D. José Maria de Souza Botelho Mourão entitled:

"Brief history or news of this House of Mateus that serves as introduction to the lesson of the titles for my son's instruction", from the 1800, in particular the part where he writes:

“O homem só se distingue pelas suas virtudes e acçoens, e a nobreza ou releva mais estas, ou afêa mais os vícios. Infeliz aquelle que chama em testemunho os seus Maiores para o accusarem de envilecer o seu nome degenerando delles. O que por si se faz respeitar não necessita de fazer para isso lembrada a sua ascendência. No principio todos tiverão o mesmo. Assim e da mesma maneira a riqueza que não serve para fazer bem aos outros homens he inútil quando não he nociva ao que a possue. Todos os prazeres da vida são transitórios e só o da beneficência deixa memorias duráveis e satisfaz o coração por toda a vida. Os necessários para ella são tão poucos quanto a sua duração he pequena. Man wants but little here below and does not want that little long.”

It was the second one on the subject of ethics, a theme that we will return to soon. The first one, with Professor José Meirinhos, from the University of Porto, was also enthusiastically received by the public from Vila Real.