After a few more years of teaching and research, sometimes with some internal controversies, especially regarding the organisation of courses, he retired on 9 February 1986. On 28 June, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Public Instruction. He continued to work in research, but published little else, mainly due to family problems that accompanied the end of his life, which ended on 23 November 1994. His wife, the researcher Graça Silva Dias, who accompanied him in his work and collaborated directly with him and some works, died in December 2006. The Institute of History and Theory of Ideas of the Faculdade de Letras da Univrsidade de Coimbra [School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra ] , which continues to exist, albeit without institutional status, posthumously paid tribute to him by naming the room where it is located “Sala Silva Dias”. The main part of his private library was acquired in 2004, for a symbolic price, by the Faculdade de Letras de Coimbra [School of Arts and Humanities of Coimbra] , where it is stored and awaiting a place that will do justice to the master and bibliophile who built it.

J. S. da Silva Dias published an extensive body of work. The complete bibliography up to 1986 can be consulted in one of the volumes cited (vol. 8) which, as mentioned above, the Revista de História das Ideias dedicated to him on the theme “The Sacred and the Profane”, chosen because it was considered to be in line with one of Silva Dias’ fundamental concerns in the field of philosophical thought and historiographical practice. His published works mainly refer to the Modern Era. Among his many historiographical articles, his studies on Pombalism and some referring to the Liberal Era are particularly noteworthy. He also contributed several articles to the Dicionário de Literatura Portuguesa, Galega e Brasileira [Dictionary of Portuguese, Galician and Brazilian Literature] , edited by Jacinto Prado Coelho (Porto, 1957-1960, and 1969), and to the incomplete Grande Dicionário de Literatura Portuguesa e Teoria Literária [ Great Dictionary of Portuguese Literature and Literary Theory] , edited by João José Cochofel (Lisbon, 1972). He wrote more than 30 reviews of Portuguese and foreign books, an activity that also demonstrates Silva Dias’ critical sense. On the subject of the university and teaching, in addition to articles on the history of institutions, he wrote, as suggested, several articles on current issues, including the following: “A reforma da Universidade e os seus problemas” [ The reform of the university and its problems ] ( Brotéria, vol. 93, 1971), “A reforma do sistema educativo” [ The reform of the education system ] ( Expresso, 31 March 1973), “A reforma e as reformas na Universidade” [ Reform and reforms at the University ] ( Diário de Lisboa , 2 July 1974), “Políticas de educação” [ Education policies ] (A Capital, 3 December 1974), “A Universidade de ontem e de hoje. O poder da rotina contra o poder da lucidez” [ The University of yesterday and today. The power of routine against the power of lucidity ] ( Critério, no. 7, October 1976), “A Universidade que temos, a Universidade que queremos” [ The University we have, the University we want ] and “Uma Universidade competente, uma Universidade eficiente” [ A competent University, an efficient University ] ( Expresso, 3 and 9 September 1976, respectively), “I. Que ensino superior? Universidade e cultura. Regime de austeridade, mas não de pobreza” [I. What kind of higher education? University and culture. Austerity, but not poverty ] and “II. Que ensino superior? Democracia na Universidade: em defesa do diálogo e da participação” [II. What kind of higher education? Democracy at the University: in defence of dialogue and participation] ( Portugal Hoje, 26 and 27 May 1981), “Da carreira universitária à carreira da Universidade” [From a university career to a career at the University] ( O Jornal, 28 May 1981) and “Uma Universidade para o Portugal de hoje” [A University for today’s Portugal] ( Diário de Notícias, 17 June 1981).

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