Ortega self-absorbed. A proposal for the Complete Works of Ortega y Gasset

Abstract

Ortega as a public figure, Ortega as a political intellectual, Ortega as a journalist, Ortega as a professor of metaphysics, Ortega as an internationally renowned writer... There are many ways to characterize Ortega, as one would expect from such a multifaceted figure as the Spanish philosopher. Some of these characterizations extend throughout his life, while others appear in a more limited way in time. In particular, Ortega's public vocation, his political and journalistic work, declined as his life progressed. This was not only due to the circumstantial vicissitudes that hindered his development but also to his own intellectual and personal evolution. Admitting that these outlines are simplifications, we can see in Ortega's evolution a progression from committed intellectual to thinker devoted to his work. But even adopting this evolutionary perspective, all the characterizations of Ortega with which we began can be considered true.