This is how we build more equitable relationships

The Center for Virtues and Values Education hosted a lecture by Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg on how Aristotelian philosophy can help us better interpret the intentions of others and build more just relationships, an event aimed at students, support staff (personal administrativo de servicio), and faculty.

Misinterpreting others’ intentions can undermine social harmony, fuel mistrust, and hinder dialogue. In a context marked by immediate reactions, polarization, and digital relationships, teaching people to see others through a different lens becomes essential to raising individuals capable of interacting with greater prudence, fairness, and humanity.

This was one of the key ideas discussed in the lecture by Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg, a classical philologist and philanthropy consultant at Wider Sense (Berlín), hosted by the Center for Education in Virtues and Values at Francisco de Vitoria University.

IMG_9975 The Challenge of Emotional Education in an Era of Digital Polarization with Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

The philologist Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg

Learning to interpret emotions

The speaker focused his reflection on the concept of emotional syllogism, a form of reasoning in which a person reaches a conclusion not so much based on the logic of the facts, but rather on the emotion that a situation evokes in them.

From this perspective, Schulte-Altedorneburg explained how people attribute intentions to the actions of others and how those assumptions can shape our interactions. The key, he argued, is not to suppress emotions, but to manage them so that they do not replace sound judgment or hinder our understanding of others.

IMG_9970 The Challenge of Emotional Education in an Era of Digital Polarization with Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

The speaker, at one point during the presentation

Aristotle and the Challenges of the Digital Age

The conference proposed returning to Aristotle to rethink emotional intelligence from its philosophical foundations. In the face of a digital environment that favors speed, simplification, and immediate responses, the Aristotelian framework allows us to rediscover the importance of prudence, deliberation, and character formation. "This connects deeply with our work at the CEV, where we seek to promote an education that forms the whole person and helps students grow in wisdom and virtue so they may flourish as human beings," explains Verónica Fernández, director of the Center for Education in Virtues and Values.

Schulte-Altedorneburg also addressed the educational value of tragedy, understood as a means of fostering emotions such as fear, compassion, empathy, and understanding. Through tragedy, he explained, it is possible to learn to view human reality with greater depth and to recognize the complexity of decisions, conflicts, and relationships.

IMG_9979 The Challenge of Emotional Education in an Era of Digital Polarization with Jörg Schulte-Altedorneburg Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

A humanistic education to better understand others

With this conference, the UFV Center for Virtues and Values Education reinforces its role as a forum for reflection on the ethical, educational, and cultural challenges of our time.

This initiative is part of UFV’s educational mission, which aims to prepare individuals who are capable of understanding reality, interpreting human relationships with discernment, and contributing to a more just society. It is an education that does not separate intellectual development from character building, emotional growth, and a sense of responsibility toward others.