We develop arguments on two possible senses of “hope”: a “passive hope” and an “active hope”. Both senses presuppose antagonisms and difficulties. As a paradox, they inhabit and converge to our imagination, feelings, and utopias, mostly when we are teaching History – teaching the time. Would be “hope” an “amulet” - a belief that sustain our strength? Or would be a “spear” - which depends on our actions and active production of forthcoming? Based on these questions, we explore the meanings of “affections” and scrutinize the affection of “hope” as studied by Spinoza (the passive hope), specially in his book “Ethics”. After that, we investigate the meanings of “hope” by Paulo Freire (the active hope) and its implications for History Teaching. Finally, we propose discussions about an ethic on history teaching, starting with a convergence between these two senses of “hope”, considering agonistic and dialectical aspects of the affections.
