Aspen Ideas Debate Session with Javier Gomá
Aspen Institute España will host an Aspen Ideas debate session with Javier Gomá Lanzón, writer, philosopher, and director of the Juan March Foundation on November 17th. Aspen Institute España will host this session on the occasion of the new edition of its book of micro-essays “Filosofía Mundana” and the premiere, that same week, of the theatre production that brings its philosophy to the stage.
Javier Gomá Lanzón
Author of the Tetrology of exemplarity and a theatrical trilogy. He is also the Executive Director of the Juan March Foundation. He was awarded degrees in Classical Philology (1998) and Law (1992) at the Complutense University of Madrid. He later completed his doctoral degree in Philosophy at the National University of Distance Education, graduating cum laude. He defended his thesis in 2001 on imitation (which he would later call exemplarity) as an ethical guideline. In 1993 he passed the civil service examinations for the Spanish Council of State, placing first in his cohort. He studied law and prepared for the civil service examinations in only three years. In 1996 he started working at the Juan March Foundation (based in Madrid), of which he was appointed director in 2003.
“Filosofía Mundana” Synopsis
Everyone holds an interpretation of the world. To interpret is already a genuinely philosophical activity. Therefore, all women and men are philosophers and cannot cease to be so without resigning from their human condition. This universal philosophical activity coexists with the work of a small minority of individuals who write philosophy books. The best of these philosophical works are those that, through their intelligence, depth, and persuasive power, help educate and refine people’s natural, intuitive philosophy. The supreme mission of philosophy today is to become worldly: philosophy about the entirety of the world, but also for everyone, and—if possible—with a bit of the world within it. A philosopher should not write only for other philosophers, but for the general, non-specialist reader who wishes to live life more wisely, more meaningfully, and more fully. And they must carry out this important task with literary elegance, like a worldly person who masters the art of delighting, intriguing, and moving an appreciative audience with their reasoning. Worldly Philosophy is a book that sets aside merely academic problems—those that interest only professional philosophers—and instead chooses as its subject the issues that concern us all: individuality, beauty, fortune, love, happiness, the mystery of life, and death. It casts the illuminating gaze of philosophy upon these matters. With this aim, it adopts the genre of the micro-essay, where brevity, accessibility, personal anecdote, and humor are placed in the service of a modern, profound, and original approach to the timeless questions of human existence.
Aspen Ideas Program
The Aspen Ideas Program aims to provide a forum for debate on current issues for emerging leaders from different sectors of society, many of whom have already taken part in Aspen Spain programs. On the occasion of book publications or in response to current events, we bring together groups of 30 participants for discussions with experts on topics such as geopolitics, new technologies, leadership, energy, or international economics.
This project has received help from the Ministry of Culture through the Directorate- General for Books, Comics, and Reading.
