A Historical Review of Zubiri’s Presence in El Salvador

Abstract

This present work attempts to understand the influence that Zubirian philosophy has had on Salvadoran thought. To this end, first of all, here can be found a chronological collection of the written production in Salvadoran academic spaces where Salvadoran intellectuals directly refer to Zubiri, locating as many titles as possible that account for presence. Next, continuing with the approach to Zubirian influence, the reception that his philosophy has had in some concrete cases is analyzed as a sample of its scope and importance within Salvadoran thought, highlighting that the Zubirian appropriation generally responds to its use in the analysis of the Salvadoran people’s situation. Under this framework, two distinct motivations can be distinguished in the use of Zubirian philosophy: On one hand, there is an interest in the totality of his thought to address some concrete questions. On the other hand, there emerges the need to confront, in philosophical terms and with ultimate rigor, the totality of the problems of our historical realities. First, those aspects of Zubirian philosophy that are incorporated to address particular issues presented. Second, attention is given to Ellacuría’s reception of Zubiri’s thought, in light of his objective to lay the foundations for a philosophy of liberation and, in the same way, to justify the role of the philosopher in intellectual activity, a role he exemplified as head of the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA) in El Salvador.