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Ignacio Ellacuría and the Self-Reflection of Critical Theory

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Ignacio Ellacuría and the Self-Reflection of Critical Theory The Xavier Zubiri Review, Vol. 14, 2016-2018, pp. 87-94 Ignacio Ellacuría and the Self-Reflection of Critical Theory José Manuel Romero Cuevas Universidad de Alcalá de Henares Madrid, Spain Abstract This paper pretends to explain a central argument in Ellacuría’s theoretical work: To him, the theorist has to opt for “the place-that-gives-truth”. I will analyze the theoretical, moral and political meaning of this thesis and its implications for the status of Ellacuría’s own work. Moreover I want to put this approach in dialogue with reflections from Hermeneutics and Critical Theory on the necessity of a theoretical-philosophical activity, basic for self- reflection. The dialogue with these contemporary philosophical traditions will make it pos- sible to situate Ellacuría’s intellectual work in the theoretical debates of the 20th century. Resumen Este artículo pretende explicar un argumento central en el trabajo teórico de Ellacuría: pa- ra él, el teórico debe optar por “el lugar que da la verdad”. Analizaré el significado teórico, moral y político de esta tesis y sus implicaciones para el estado del propio trabajo de Ella- curía. Además, quiero poner este enfoque en diálogo con las reflexiones de la hermeneutica y la teoría critical sobre la necesidad de una actividad teórico-filosófica, básica para la au- torreflexión. El diálogo con estas tradiciones filosóficas contemporáneas permitirá situar el trabajo intelectual de Ellacuría en los debates teóricos del siglo XX. 1. A critical theory of historical reality? specifically designed as a type of intra- mundane metaphysics, which takes what It may seem surprising that the title of Ellacuría called historical reality as its this paper links the theologian and philos- subject. Ellacuría defines it as “the radical opher Ignacio Ellacuría with the idea of reality (...) in which all other realities lie”.4 critical theory1. As well as being a follower For Ellacuría the historical reality is the of the Spanish philosopher Xavier Zubiri reality mediated by the historical praxis in his philosophical work, he was also and it is therefore the “supreme manifesta- influenced by Hegel, which he read from a tion of reality”5, in that “it is reality show- materialist perspective, and Marx, who he ing its richest potentialities and possibili- saw not only as a philosopher but also as ties”.6 In short, “historical reality means a social critic, with significant points in the totality of reality, as it exists unitarily common with an author like E. Bloch.2 in its highest qualitative form, and that Indeed, his unfinished work Filosofía de la specific form of reality that is history, realidad histórica [Philosophy of Historical which gives us not only the highest form of Reality], which was written in the mid- reality, but also the open field of the max- 1970s and published after his death,3 is imum possibilities of the real.”7 87 88 José Manuel Romero Cuevas ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ellacuría indeed raises speculative “basic horizon” of its “philosophical considerations on the nature of reality, by work”.10 The prerequisite for this philoso- describing the mobility characteristic of phy, which is driven by an interest in lib- historical reality, as mentioned above, as eration, is that this type of philosophy praxis: “The entire dynamic of historical consciously and reflectively recovers “its reality is what has to be understood as role as the appropriate theoretical moment praxis. This praxis is an immanent active of the appropriate historical praxis”,11 i.e. totality, because its action and its result it “has to ask itself what it represents are all within the same totality in a pro- within the social praxis as a whole”.12 cess, which it configures and directs in its This does not entail a violation of the process. Seen in this light, the praxis has purely theoretical nature of philosophy, many forms, for both the part and the because despite the “relative autonomy of whole, which is its closest subject in each philosophical thought”13, which Ellacuría case, and for the mode of action and the acknowledges and which prevents philos- outcome it creates. However, the activity of ophy from allowing itself to be channelled historical reality is ultimately the praxis, by the existing political praxis without any understood as a dynamic whole.”8 This mediation, the fact of the matter is that metaphysics of historical reality, with all philosophy is a situated activity: “The phi- its speculative ambition, is clearly conver- losopher (...) philosophizes based on his gent with Bloch’s ontological considera- own situation, and now more than ever, tions, as reflected in his works including this situation is a public and political sit- Subject-Object and The Principle of Hope - uation.”14 It is this situated character that works which Ellacuría had read.9 It is also defines “the intrinsic political character of clear that speculation of this nature has any attempt at philosophy.”15 Indeed, “phi- no discernible links with the tradition of losophy, because it is situated historically, critical theory from Max Horkheimer to is politicized, whether we like it or not.”16 Jürgen Habermas. In other words, “the due politicization of philosophy would at its root consist of 2. The need of a self-reflection of phi- making philosophizing an effective thought losophy based on the most concrete situation on However, in the light of his philosoph- top of the most complete and concrete ical articles of the 1970s and 1980s, El- situation.”17 Philosophy should therefore lacuría engages in a clear process of theo- be based on the most concrete real situa- retical self-clarification, which in my opin- tion. However, what is that situation? ion converges at important points with the At this point, Ellacuría introduces the reflections of Horkheimer in the 1930s on thesis that the situation or place where the status of critical theory, and enables philosophizing starts is a reflexive act of us to reconsider the meaning of Ellacuría’s choice by each thinker in each case: the ideas about the metaphysics of historical thinker is doomed to choose the place that reality. appears to be the most appropriate start- This process of self-clarification ing point for philosophical work (I will dis- reached its zenith in his article “The liber- cuss why I think this characterization is in ating function of philosophy,” in 1985, in principle problematic later, and propose which Ellacuría sought to make his own an alternative formulation for it). Accord- personal contribution to the foundations ing to Ellacuría, this choice of the place for of Latin American liberation philosophy. In philosophizing will indeed be decisive for this article, Ellacuría considers the ques- the type of philosophy to be undertaken: tion of the conditions that must be met by “This situating oneself in one place or an- the philosophy that takes the liberation of other when philosophizing is one of the “the popular masses who live in a secular acts that contributes most to the differen- state of oppression-repression” as the tiation of philosophies, from both an ethi- XAVIER ZUBIRI REVIEW 2016-2018 Ignacio Ellacuría and the Self-Reflection of Critical Theory 89 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ cal standpoint and also from a theoretical formulations show “their degree of truth point of view.”18 and reality.”25 As regards a philosophy driven by in- So what does Ellacuría believe that terest in liberation, Ellacuría says that it is this place-that-gives-truth is, that place reasonable to situate oneself in the field of that embodies the utmost contradiction of “principal contradiction” regarding the the existing order? This place consists of existing order of domination and oppres- “the dispossessed, the wronged and the sion.19 This placing oneself in the place in suffering”,26 whom he calls “the crucified the central contradiction vis-a-vis the ex- of the earth, who are the vast majority of isting order has ethical and political impli- humanity, stripped of all human dignity cations as well as basic theoretical and (...) because of the deprivation and oppres- epistemological implications: “We must be sion to which they are subjected.”27 In in the place of historical truth and in the short, it is the “place of the oppressed.”28 place of true liberation, not only to be ef- According to Ellacuría, the choice of this fective in the task of liberation, but also to place as a place to philosophize may be be true in it, and even in philosophy it- based on ethical and theological founda- self.”20 When determining the place of phi- tions. It may also have a theoretical basis: losophy itself, theoretical and ethical con- “The theoretical foundation of this choice siderations are therefore involved: “The is based on who the majority are and its determination of the place-that-gives-truth objective reality is the appropriate place to has a moment of theoretical insight in appreciate the truth or falsity of the sys- each case, but also has a moment of en- tem in question.”29 lightened choice. (...) The optional mo- ment, which seeks that place-that-gives- 3. The appropriation of the hermeneu- truth and makes truth, (...) must be (...) tical situation enlightened (...) in a first step, by an ethi- cal evaluation that makes (...) the injustice The centrality of the place where the and unfreedom that occur in our situation philosophy is located is reflected in El- [Latin America, JMR] as primary facts, a lacuría’s statement that “the place from basic point of reference, and are illuminat- where one philosophizes (...) determines ed in a second step by the theoretical as- the main questions, the appropriate cate- sessment that sees injustice and unfree- gories and ultimately, the horizon of all dom as one of the fundamental repres- philosophical work.”30 Indeed, this de- sions of the truth”.21 scription of the place for philosophizing The philosopher must choose what El- has some significant similarities with the lacuría significantly called the place-that- concept of the hermeneutic situation.
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