The Spanish journalist, writer and philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955) had intended to devote a book to the subject of the United States to dispel the confusion in the European mind due to the "mass of puerile judgments that one hears pronounced on North America even by the most cultured persons." His work habits, illnesses, the civil war in Spain and the long conflict in Europe prevented him from writing more than two essays: "The New United States" (March 22, (...) 1931) and "On the United States" (July 30, 1932). The present study offers the historical context for a more meaningful reading of the essays. (shrink)

Of the factors that contribute to a lack of awareness and appreciation by the English-reading world of the development of philosophy in Latin America, themost serious is the lack of bibliographical materials. To compile such was the purpose of the Conference on Teaching Materials for the Study of Latin American Thought held recently at the American University in Washington, D.C. Since the majority of the participants were connected with Latin American Studies Programs, the bibliographies proposed for the various projects were, (...) for the most part, in the Spanish and Portuguese languages. This language barrier still excludes the overwhelming majority of those in the English-reading world interested in matters philosophic from learning what has happened and is happening in that field in Latin America. Accordingly, what follows is a bibliographical introduction to works in English, discussed in the order of their appearance, on the study of philosophy in Latin America. Only what this author considers major works will be discussed, as limited space prevents an exhaustive bibliography. (shrink)