José Ortega y Gasset: Influences and Historical Context

José Ortega y Gasset: Influences and Context

Influences

Received Influences

1. Early Objectivism (until 1914): Ortega y Gasset's early philosophy was influenced by German neo-Kantianism, particularly the work of Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp. He embraced the importance of reason and its connection to objective, universal, and scientific thought.
2. Perspectivism (1914-1923): In this phase, Ortega y Gasset sought to move beyond the limitations of modernity. He aimed to transcend rationalism and idealism without reverting to earlier philosophical forms like relativism and realism.
3. Wilhelm Dilthey: Ortega y Gasset was influenced by Dilthey's emphasis on history for understanding human reality (historical reason) and the importance of "understanding" as opposed to "explaining."
4. Perspectival Truth and Life: He adopted a perspectival view of truth and defended the importance of life, including its non-rational dimensions.
5. Edmund Husserl's Phenomenology: Ortega y Gasset drew inspiration from Husserl's focus on intentionality and the need to overcome empirical approaches to remain faithful to "things themselves."
6. Martin Heidegger: Ortega y Gasset shared affinities with Heidegger's phenomenology and existentialism.
7. Jean-Paul Sartre (Near, but not influence): While not a direct influence, Ortega y Gasset's ideas share some common ground with Sartre's existentialism, particularly the notion that man has no inherent nature and is constructed through life.

Given Influences

1. Pre-Civil War Influence: Ortega y Gasset was a major figure in Spanish cultural life before the Civil War. He opposed Primo de Rivera's dictatorship, resigned his university professorship, co-founded the "Grouping at the Service of the Republic," and served as a deputy in the Constituent Cortes.
2. Post-Civil War Influence: Despite marginalization after the Civil War, his influence continued to spread, particularly in Latin American intellectual circles.
3. Influence Beyond Philosophy: Ortega y Gasset's impact extended beyond philosophy. He was a master of journalistic writing and influenced the Generation of '27.

Socio-Cultural and Philosophical Context

Ortega y Gasset's philosophy emerged during a turbulent period in Spanish history, marked by the Bourbon Restoration, Primo de Rivera's dictatorship, the Second Republic, the Civil War, and the early years of Franco's dictatorship. Spain was a relatively backward society within Europe.

Europe experienced World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of fascism in Germany, Italy, and Spain, and the outbreak of World War II.

This era saw the flourishing of various intellectual and artistic movements. Key generations included the Generation of '98 (Unamuno, Antonio Machado), the Generation of 1914 (Novecento) with figures like Ramón Pérez de Ayala and Ramón Gómez de la Serna, and the Generation of '27 (Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti). This period also witnessed the rise of various philosophical positions, including idealism, neo-Kantianism, existentialism, vitalism, historicism, positivism, the Vienna Circle, structuralism, Marxism, and psychoanalysis.

Philosophical Context: Miguel de Unamuno