This work originated at the Seminar 'Theoretical Shock' organised by the Polytechnic Health School Joaquim Venâncio of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation from 2nd to 4th December 1987, in Rio de Janeiro. Having been invited to take part in this seminar to deal with the conception of polytechnic, I made an oral presentation not based on a written text. At the time, the presentation, together with the ensuing discussions, were taped and transcribed and later published in a book (Saviani, 1989). The eight interventions that occurred during the debate were the object of relatively long answers in which I had the opportunity to express, in a clearer form, a few of the issues dealt with in the presentation. Part I of this article is a revised version of my presentation at the seminar. Part II returns to the discussion on the concept of polytechnic, bringing new elements that will contribute towards a better understanding of its meaning in correlation with the present historical situation.
polytechnical education; professional education; workers' formation