Three Spanish Philosophers: Unamuno, Ortega, Ferrater Mora

by José Ferrater Mora, Josep Maria Terricabras

This collection provides an excellent introduction to three of the most important names in twentieth-century Spanish Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936), José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955), and José Ferrater Mora (1912–1991). The thought-provoking work of these great contemporary philosophers offers a rich and penetrating insight into human existence. Originally written by Ferrater Mora in the middle of the last century, his interpretations of Unamuno and Ortega are considered classics, and the chapter on his own thought reflects his mature thinking about being and death. Each essay is introduced by noted Ferrater Mora scholar J. M. Terricabras and contains updated biographical and bibliographic information.

Genres: Philosophy

276 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Considerado uno de los filósofos españoles más destacados del s. XX, se licenció en Filosofía por la Universidad de Barcelona, muy influenciado en su juventud por Joaquín Xirau Palau, de educación alemana. Partidario del bando republicano, a partir de 1939 ejerció la docencia en diversas universidades de Francia, Cuba, Chile y los Estados Unidos de América, país donde se estableció en 1947 huyendo del régimen franquista y donde se relacionó con Pedro Salinas y muchos otros intelectuales del exilio. En los Estados Unidos, a partir de 1949 ejerció la docencia en el Bryn Mawr College de Pensilvania, llegando a ser director del Departamento de Filosofía. Fue profesor invitado en otras universidades como las de Princeton, Baltimore, Filadelfia, Madrid, Barcelona y Palma de Mallorca.

Recordado principalmente por haber sido autor, en solitario, del más copioso Diccionario de filosofía escrito en lengua española durante el siglo XX, fue también escritor de diversos libros sobre el pensamiento filosófico y, a partir de 1979, obras de narrativa, y guionista de películas de cine.

Reviews

[Paul O'Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three Spanish Philosophers is marketed as an introductory text to the thoughts of the two well-known, and one not-so-well-known, philosophers hailing from Spain: Miguel de Unamuno(Tragic Sense of Life), Jose Ortega y Gassett(Revolt of the Masses) and, lastly, Jose Ferrater Mora(?). Alas, this is very deceptive advertising. The book actually presents better as a selected works from the last named thinker. Jose Ferrater Mora is better known in his native language as an staunch advocate of animal rights, as a man who has engaged in combat for his philosophical beliefs, and as a producer of philosophical dictionaries and histories. Part One consists of Ferrater Mora's book on de Unamuno, entitled Unamuno: A Philosophy of Tragedy. It appears to be reproduced in its entirety, but I can't be certain. What I can be certain of is that work struck me as rather indulgent and unsatisfactory for service as an introduction to the famous religious philosopher. Unamuno is a tough subject; I understand. As much a novelist as a philosopher, as much a philosopher as a religious thinker, Unamuno requires a strong and disciplined intellect to attempt to bring order to his loose and somewhat wild thoughts. Unfortunately, Ferrater Mora's outlining of Unamuno's ideas is hardly disciplined, Unamuno's works are at best skimmed through when touched on at all, and running constantly around Unamuno's predilection for paradoxes becomes tiresome long before dizzying. Finishing Part One, I struggled to keep going. I am glad I did, however. Part Two is an introductory essay on the mercurial and fertile thoughts of Ortega y Gassett. The author's sympathy with his subject is evident. The material is handled with much more care, discipline, and refined thought than displayed in the Unamuno offering. Ortega y Gassett deserves more attention today than he receives, if only for his scrutiny on knowledge. His definition of belief as something inherited without question or doubt, yet perceived as accepted truth might help elucidate a notorious "trend" in contemporary shoddy thinking, on a mass public scale and under. I enjoyed this essay as much as I disliked the "Unamuno book". Part Three completed the three star experience with a chapter torn from another Ferrater Mora book entitled Being and Death. The third chapter of that book offered and ending this collection focuses on how humans experience death around them, as well as explorations into death's meaning for man. Heidegger & Sartre were all the rage when this work was written and their influence oozes off the pages. J O-G finds an occasion for mention too, of course. The insights offered are moderately interesting, but nothing worthy of raising this volume above its other dual and, in my opinion, lopsided offerings, basically reducing it all to a rather mediocre totality.