Abstract

DAROS, W. R.. Social Identity of the American and the Argentinean Man: Leopoldo Zea and José Ortega y Gasset. Estud. filos. práct. hist. ideas [online]. 2006, n.8, pp.31-44. ISSN 1851-9490.

This article presents, from a philosophical stand, firstly Leopoldo Zea's thesis according to which the American man's universality resides in his acceptance of the concrete diversity of the various ways of being American. Only now Europe is starting to consider philosophically the problem of cultural pluralism. Secondly, we analyze the way the Saxon Americans and the Latin Americans consider government and laws during their respective processes of becoming their own selves. We examine the intent and subsequent failure of the latter at trying to imitate the former; also, Zea's thesis according to which the identity of Latin American peoples lies precisely in not having a unique identity that define them as a man and people common to all Latin America, except for some behavioral traits deriving from the Spanish conqueror temper. Ortega y Gasset extends this analysis focusing on Argentina's immigration and concluding that this partially accounts for the Argentinean behavior and identity, their priority being to make a fortune and to defend themselves. Their identity rises from what they have or what they want to have.

Keywords : Social identity; Cultural pluralism; Leopoldo Zea; José Ortega y Gasset.

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