The Instituto Brasileiro de Filosofia (IBF), the Brazilian Institute of Philosophy, was one of the research centers in Brazil that opened its doors to Vilém Flusser. During this period he produced many publications and lectures, of which many were published in IBF’s journal; Flusser’s lectures also resulted in articles and essays (Da Religiosidade, 2002, p. 37). And some of his philosophical discussions, with the logician and philosopher of science Leônidas Hegenberg, for instance, the institute published as a special publication (Bodenlos, 2007, p. 215).

These publications demonstrate how impor tant Flusser’s dialogue was that he established with some IBF members; this is shown by Flusser’s review of the first volume of Vicente Ferreira da Silva’s complete works, which were published by the IBF (Da Religiosidade, pp. 139–145). In his autobiography, Flusser analyzes certain aspects of his collaboration with the IBF, especially in the chapter devoted to one of its founders, the legal and cultural philosopher Miguel Reale (Bodenlos, pp. 177–183), who was very much influenced by the ethics of German philosophers Max Scheler and Nicolai Hartmann, among others. Despite major differences from an ideological and philosophical point of view, and although Flusser, as a migrant, did not have any academic qualifications, Reale, director of the Brazilian Institute of Philosophy, invited Flusser to collaborate with the institute (ibid.).

Original article by Rodrigo Petronio in Flusseriana