Andrew's Existential Inquisition: Philosophy and Disillusionment

Part Four: Inquisition

Andrew grapples with life's direction, causing LS anxiety. This section explores Andrew H.'s adult life and future vision, embodying the philosophy of the generation of '98. Through extensive dialogue, we witness the evolution of Andrew's deeply disappointed life, encompassing his home, his ideology of Spain, university experiences, societal views, his medical practice, personal relationships, and professional journey. He is mired in profound distress and unease, prompting consultations with his advisor and uncle, Iturrioz.

Iturrioz observes, "Andrew, your life, and life in general, seems ugly, painful, and cloudy. You are always in search of happiness." Hurtado feels lost, lacking a firm place in the world. He finds amusement in the theories of Fichte, Schopenhauer, and Kant. He criticizes Spanish education, noting teachers' preoccupation with salary, while he seeks a philosophical understanding of the world and a biological explanation of human origins and life. He finds the French and English tiresome. For Andrew, knowledge is life's greatest pleasure.

He notes that Kant posits absolute truth only in physics and mathematics; what is proven is true. Nature is valid, but he doesn't believe in God or freedom due to their unprovability; space and time are meaningless. His uncle dismisses these ideas as fantasies, arguing that our brains will perish, ending our world. Iturrioz tries to convince Andrew that science overwhelms everything, including humanity. Andrew, however, seeks truth rather than utility. His uncle's thinking aligns more with the previous century, more romantic, believing that reason and science destroy illusion and poetry.

Iturrioz challenges his nephew with Genesis metaphors:

The Tree of Knowledge is like a manzanillo. You can eat the fruit that gives you knowledge and life. The tree will grant you life, immortality, and ignorance. Life and truth are separate from our origins. Your inner self tells you not to eat from the tree of science, as it will destroy the natural man and customs.

Kant's theory, as interpreted by Iturrioz, suggests that the branches of the tree of life drown the branches of the tree of science. For Iturrioz, truth lies not only in knowledge but also in the illusion of what is useful. For Andrew, it is in science.