Ortega y Gasset’s Philosophy: Life, Reason, and Historicism
The Meaning of Life
Life is the coexistence of subject and world, and it is the radical data. Life has the following attributes: it is found in the world, and it involves taking care of something—that is, living *for* something.
Life is a continuum of doing. Life is not given to us, but we have to make it, freely.
Life is a problem; it is a clue to thought.
Life is a continuous decision. Freedom and decisions allow us to create our life project.
Life is coexistence.
Vital Reason
Ortega advocates for
Read MoreCivil Society and the State: Origins and Theories
Two Dimensions of Freedom: Public and Private Spheres
There are two dimensions to the deployment of freedoms and interests of people:
- Private Life: The intimate and personal freedom of each individual, free from external interference.
- Public Life: The scenario in which individuals interact as social, political, or cultural actors within society.
To harmonize these two levels, politics emerged, encompassing administrative and coercive power to enable coexistence within organized civil society.
- Civil Society:
Alternatives to Prison: Non-Violent Offenders
Non-Violent Offenders and Prison Alternatives
“We should never send non-violent offenders to prison”
Prison is a place for keeping people accused of a crime awaiting trial or for keeping prisoners away from society.
Firstly, since violent prisoners require significant attention, non-violent prisoners should not be incarcerated.
Non-violent prisoners should be free from jail, especially for non-violent crimes involving violations of conditional liberty.
Most of them have families and are the sole providers,
Read MoreUnamuno’s Don Manuel: Faith, Doubt, and the Search for Truth
Don Manuel represents knowledge, the instrument to change reality. He stands on a high step because he can convince his people, fostering their belief. In the innermost secrets of his death, our priest is believed to have a lucid acceptance of human destiny. However, his profession and commitment to the Catholic Church force him to represent a truth he perceives as a hoax.
Don Manuel, due to his own knowledge, is in doubt, longing for something else, a truth that religious faith does not provide,
Read MoreHuman Freedom and Determinism: A Deep Dive
Human Freedom Versus Determinism
The Problem of Human Existence
In the evolution of man, weaker instincts tend to disappear and become mere impulses or tendencies, giving way to the search for pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Since there are no certain biological responses in human life, life itself becomes an issue. The problems of our existence, and each problem that we face daily, arise because instinctive responses are replaced by awareness and reflection (reason), which in turn lead to action
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Overman and Nihilism
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Life, Morality, and the Overman
Nietzsche argues that Western culture is decadent because it opposes life and instinct, prioritizing rationality above all else. He critiques morality, metaphysics (both ontologically and epistemologically), and the positive sciences.
Life is central to his philosophy. Nietzsche seeks a new morality based on life itself. He posits two fundamental forces in human reality:
- The Apollonian: Represents reason, order, coherence, and rationality.
- The