Jose Ingenieros, Also known as Giuseppe Ingegnieri, he was an Argentine-Italian doctor who became known for his written work on the history and evolution of the Argentine Republic. His works were numerous and were dedicated to the medical study of the mind, sociology and the studies of criminal anthropology..
Then he wrote about subjects related to psychology and, finally, he devoted himself to philosophical and ethical subjects. It was a reference reading for the youth of his time, since his works served as a moral and behavioral compass, especially for young Argentines.
He carefully observed the strengths and weaknesses of his country and acted accordingly, dedicating several writings. In these he proposed ideas for their improvement in the social, political and economic. His works, even today, impact the reader who approaches these.
This is because they force you to think and question yourself. His vast knowledge and clarity of thought with regard to multiple areas of knowledge are amazing. In all his books the dissatisfaction and dissatisfaction of things in his country is manifested.
Although he acknowledges the progress made, he insists on looking further. It was committed to excellence at all levels of the Argentine nation and, by extension, of all Latin America.
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José Ingenieros came to the world on April 24, 1877. He was born in southern Italy, on the island of Sicily. His mother was named Mariana Tagliava and his father was Salvatore Ingegnieri.
His family was active in the Sicilian socialist movement. Precisely because of a political publication in an Italian newspaper, the family was subjected to persecution. That is why they left the country and settled in Buenos Aires, Argentina..
He studied Biological Sciences (Medicine), but also cultivated his love for the social sciences, such as sociology, psychology and philosophy).
It was characterized by having a restless spirit, impossible to pigeonhole into just one area of knowledge. His work was not limited to the accumulation of information, but had the intention of transmitting everything he learned in his writings.
His life was oriented towards the conception of idealistic man as opposed to the mediocrity of his environment (It is the argument of his book called The mediocre man). All his work was strongly influenced by the philosophical current of positivism.
Ingenieros looked with concern at the excessive credulity of our peoples in religious matters and their propensity to obey. According to his judgment, both evils were inherited from a long time being colonies of Spain.
In 1900 he graduated from the University of Buenos Aires as a doctor and studied the pathology of the nervous and mental systems in depth. For his outstanding work, that same year he was elevated to director of the Alien Observation Department..
Between 1902 and 1903 he offered courses in neuropathology. In 1904 he obtained by competition the position of professor in the chair of Experimental Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires.
Between 1905 and 1906 he participated in representation of his country in the fifth International Congress of Psychology. He was also invited to give lectures around Europe.
In 1907 he founded the Institute of Criminology in Argentina. Between 1909 and 1910 he was elected as president of the Medical Society and president of the Psychological Society of his country..
After serving as a professor for a decade at the university, he resumed his studies, this time in natural sciences. Then he decided to dedicate himself to philosophy, founding a Philosophy Seminar at the University of Buenos Aires in 1915.
He was honored with the appointment as an academic member of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Buenos Aires.
Additionally, José Ingenieros was a professor in multiple university cloisters outside of his country, was an honorary member of more than thirty academies and scientific institutions and contributed to more than fifty European publications with his articles..
José Ingenieros abhorred the idea of growing old, so in his work called Moral forces expressed the approval that he would die before reaching old age.
He was cataloged by many as the guide of youth in Latin America, since many youthful spirits were inspired by reading his work The mediocre man.
He made a large number of writings in his short life, which opened the window of his thoughts to Latin Americans and the world. These ranged from scientific to humanistic analysis.
Among his most important works are the following:
- Psychopathology in art (1902)
- The simulation of the fight for life (1903)
- Genetic psychology (1911)
- The mediocre man (1913)
Ingenieros contributed many of his ideas to building a better present and future. In his work he shows a repudiation of the contributions and deeds of the patriots and the peoples who forged his nation.
Likewise, their disgust towards the original settlers of Latin America as well as towards the African heritage that influenced the culture of our nations can be seen..
He came to argue that we must look towards Europe and emulate it, since it has a higher level. Through his texts, he expressed visible satisfaction with the fact that the Argentine population is made up of European descendants, but he silenced the fact that the aboriginal roots of his nation were destroyed in methodical and premeditated genocide..
Another aspect to question is that it omits the social and economic influence on the problems of its country. He argued that social "errors" are the exclusive product of genetics.
Similarly, he justified slavery in the case of Afro-descendants, whom he considered on a par with people with disabilities. He considered them inferior beings that must be protected by the masters.
There was not only racism in his proposal for a perfect society, but also classism. He considered the poor as beings of negligible physical and intellectual capacity. In the same way, he considered that human beings in their early years (childhood) were the equivalent of savages.
He died on October 31, 1925, shortly after having published his last book entitled Moral forces.
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