Yo soy yo y mi circunstancia, y si no la salvo a ella no me salvo yo.
– Ortega y Gasset
Philosophy and philosophers might seem far too abstract and disconnected with the “real” world, however, different philosophical principles and concepts from different times, ie. Ancient Greece, are still very much alive and dictate important features of our world right now.
How the history of thought has shaped our culture?
Let’s not forget that the individual and the group act according to a directive thought or idea. And what is Philosophy other than the study of thought?
In knowing the history of philosophy of a culture (ie. Spanish culture), we know the evolution of the collective thought of that group; we have an insight to its mindset and way of thinking. And this is essential to understand the way we speak.
History of thought in Spain
One of the first Spanish philosophers in the Iberian Peninsula is the stoic Seneca (first century), whose work was amply studied mainly around the XV century due to a cultural revival connected with the Court as a cultural centre.
Since then, and during Middle Ages and Modern Ages, Philosophy was very important. Literary activity and patronage (el mecenazgo) gathered brilliant humanists and poets around the kingdom of Castillla and Aragón .
But then, from XVII to XIX centuries, the relevance of philosophy declines, although it appears in the form of literary books with a philosophical background. Examples of this are Cervantes or Calderón…
The end of feudalism and the aversion to laziness shape a concept based on the need of survival, with this, the concept of picaresca is born. The mockery of noble titles devoid of money. The dichotomy between scholastic (escolástica) ideas (based on Aristotelian logic and the writings of the early Christian Fathers and emphasising tradition and dogma) and philosophical materialism (materialismo filosófico) (matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all things, including mental aspects and consciousness, are results of material interactions) appears in one way or the other in many books of this time.
Twentieth Century
It is in the XX century when Spanish Philosophy reached a high level thanks to mainly these four philosophers: Unamuno, Ortega, Zubiri and Zambrano.
Ortega y Gasset
He believed that all knowledge is based on a circumstance, and that reality is composed of many different circumstances.
In his mature thought, he adopted a ratiovitalist posture, trying to blend rationalism and vitalism hence the name he gives his metaphysics — ‘ratio-vitalism’. Man’s quest for knowledge, spirituality, fulfilment, and so on, are all therefore comprehended under the general description ‘life’ or ‘vitality’. Later Ortega came to recognise the limitations imposed on individuals by virtue of their being situated in particular socio-cultural contexts — the “historical horizons of human life”.
“El hombre no tiene naturaleza, sólo tiene historia”
Zambrano
In face of rationalism, Zambrano proposed a “Poetic thought”, which seeks to overcome the abyss between philosophy and poetry.
In her work, she analyses with exquisite sensibility human fears, dreams and desires.
She was always aware that being a woman philosopher at the beginning of the century meant entering a masculine sanctuary. It was in this sphere that she coined the phrase that summarises her feminist thought: “It is time for women to enter not only the public, but also the empire of dignity”. With this phrase she wanted to make it understood that women’s entry into the public sphere must be preceded by their own authorship.
Si se hubiera de definir la democracia podría hacerse diciendo que es la sociedad en la cual no sólo es permitido, sino exigido, el ser persona.
Unamuno
Unamuno talks mainly about “el problema de España” and “el problema religioso”. He thought Spain needed to be Europeanised without loosing its own characteristics, mainly its “intrahistoria” (he created this word to refer to the traditional life of the peoples that is the permanent background of the changing and visible history).
He also debates faith and reason as a result of the desire of immortality.
«La verdadera ciencia enseña, por encima de todo, a dudar y a ser ignorante.»
Zubiri
Zubiri ponders about scientific thought and about Christian religion. He affirmed that reason and sensitivity are not separated but rather there is a “sentient intelligence”.
Influenced by Roman Catholic philosophy and positive science, he created a “religation theory” of reality whereby an individual’s relation to God and his sense of self were based on fulfillment of tasks obligatory upon entering the world.
“Es hombre exquisito aquel que puede renunciar a todo, pero a quien nada es indiferente.”
The Spanish philosophy had to be transmitted to the public through literature, due to the little philosophical education of the readers then. Currently, the situation is much better as philosophy is a compulsory subject in secondary schools.
Understanding culture.
By recognising the importance of culture in history, we can better understand the patterns of thought that brought the world to its current state.
