Humanity: A Historical and Generational Perspective
Man as Historical
The Historical Dimension of Reason and Man
Human life is a continuous process, a permanent realization of a project unfolding through history and the evolution of life. It is not fixed but rather shaped by historical context. We must address our time not only with reason but also with life experience, as time encompasses work, experience, and innovation.
“Man has no nature, but history.” Lacking a predetermined nature, unlike plants or animals, humans are heirs to their historical past, adaptable and self-creating. We are a product of the relationship between past and future. Our future plans depend on our inherited past. Memory, a gift enabling us to face the future, provides the coordinates to orient ourselves. However, merely recalling the past is insufficient; we must “live” it as a reference point. This conviction of living in the past to understand the present and future leads Ortega to advocate for constant recourse to tradition—not living solely in the past like traditionalists, but integrating it into our present. The History of Philosophy serves as an admirable model, allowing us to engage with past philosophers as if they were a single philosopher continuously thinking for 2500 years. This appeal to tradition is not exclusive to “traditionalists” but is essential for everyone, providing the foundation for future endeavors in science, art, philosophy, and technology, much like roots nourish a plant to produce flowers and fruit.
Generations Theory
Life, as temporality, history, and evolution, is made possible by the coexistence of multiple generations. A generation represents a way of life (beliefs, ideas, problems, applications) lasting about 15 years, according to Ortega. Contemporaries (those living at the same time) and peers (those of the same age) coexist. This distinction enables innovation: if all were merely contemporaries, history would stagnate. Each generation has two dimensions:
1) Receiving tradition and lived experience from previous generations.
2) Expressing spontaneity, innovating, and creating new projects.
Generational controversy and innovation arise when these dimensions clash, prompting rebellion against received norms. Each generation has its own mission and historical task.
Each generation comprises two groups:
a) A select or elite minority.
b) The masses.
The elite consists of individuals developing future-oriented projects (“It is now beginning to think in twenty years, talk in small squares”), leading the masses (“The mass is not acting itself. That is their mission. They’ve come to the world to be led, influenced, represented, organized.”) Ortega believed his time suffered from confusion between leaders and followers, leading to the “revolt of the masses,” who refused elite guidance, causing Spain’s “invertebration.” This fueled intellectuals’ concern with the “problem of Spain.” Ortega stated: “Spain is the problem, Europe’s solution.” He viewed Europe as representing science and Spain as unconsciousness, a people lacking intellect, a cultural desert. He held a pessimistic view of Spain due to its inability to critique its vices (hatred, envy, ignorance). The solution, therefore, was pedagogical: more education and a deeply rooted culture to foster Spain’s moralization.