Evolution of Ortega y Gasset's Philosophical Thought
Philosophical Doctrine and The Theme of Our Time
The philosophical doctrine marked the final chapter of the work The Theme of Our Time. This book first saw publication in 1923, with two appendices, one of them being very significant for the themes it leads to, titled "The Historical Meaning of Einstein's Theory."
The Three Phases of Ortega's Thought
His thought is usually divided into three phases: Objectivism (1902-1914), Perspectivism (1914-1923), and Ratiovitalism (1924-1955). While there is a clear difference between objectivism and perspectivism, the difference between perspectivism and ratiovitalism does not exist in the same way; there is only one stage of ratiovitalism, although under a new, more mature, and philosophically stricter dimension.
Objectivism and the Europeanization of Spain
During the objectivist stage, Ortega considered the basic objective to be the "Europeanization" of Spain. Spain needed intellectual discipline to overcome its objectivity gap compared to Europe. The perspectival stage begins with Ortega's book Meditations on Quixote and ends with The Theme of Our Time.
The Circumstantial and Philosophical Reflection
Ortega begins to develop his own philosophy, starting with the circumstantial—that is, the important things around us, however small they may be—in order to engage in philosophical reflection.
Influences on Ortega's Philosophy
In preparing his response to the crisis of reason, Ortega was influenced by European continental philosophy, specifically French and imported German traditions. These influences come from phenomenology, historicism, vitalism, and existentialism.
Phenomenology and Historicism
Phenomenology continues with the Cartesian ideal of a rigorous science of philosophy, but without the separation of subject and reality. The influence of historicism comes from three thinkers: Dilthey, Simmel, and Spengler. Historicism affirmed that all reality is historical, especially human reality.
Vitalism and Existentialism
The influence of vitalism is concentrated in two thinkers, Nietzsche and Bergson. Ortega dedicates a chapter to Nietzsche, the "great seer," in The Theme of Our Time. Regarding Bergson, he speaks in his letter "Neither Vitalism nor Rationalism," where reason is setting the task in philosophy. Finally, existentialism takes Husserl's phenomenology as a starting point but gives it a particular orientation, as Husserl supposed that an anthropology rested upon it.