Ortega’s Ratiovitalism: Vital Reason, Life, and Circumstance
Understanding Ratiovitalism: Ortega’s Vital Reason
Ratiovitalism is the doctrine of vital reason. It stands somewhere between rationalism and vitalism. Life involves reasoning about the circumstances in which we live. Therefore, reason must always be linked to life.
Knowledge, Thought, and Historical Reason
Ortega distinguishes between thinking (the attitude by which humans give meaning to their circumstances) and knowledge (an activity of thought aimed at giving meaning to the world).
He criticizes the previous conception of knowledge, which aimed to discover the unchanging nature of things as a product of pure reason. Instead, Ortega emphasizes historical reason or vital reason, rooted in life itself. Within this framework, thinking takes on a creative role, enabling humans to use their minds to understand and shape the life that needs to be ‘invented’ or constructed.
Life, Reason, and Circumstance
Ratiovitalism posits that reason is rooted in life. Reason is not merely a mental operation, but a human’s ability to cope with life, akin to ‘walking on the slippery ground of existence.’
Thinking humans need to live and make sense of their circumstances. I am not independent of things; on the contrary, I am nothing without those things, without my circumstance. This circumstance is formed by our beliefs and ideas, which we ourselves create or inherit.
The Role of Beliefs, History, and Science
These beliefs form part of our history and belong to a generation, while ideas often come to us through science.
Humans have a life project; it’s not about inventing existence from scratch, but doing so from the consciousness of being part of an inherited past and history (a theme explored in The Revolt of the Masses).
Ortega and Nietzsche: Contrasting Philosophies of Life
Both Ortega y Gasset and Nietzsche can be framed within the ‘philosophy of life’. For both, life is the ultimate essence of reality, but they understand it differently.
Differing Views on Life, Reason, and Time
- Nietzsche: Life is primarily instinctive (will to power). The rational faculty cannot penetrate the basic essence of life (change, becoming, development). To be guided solely by reason and despise instinct is to disregard life. Time is circular (Eternal Return).
- Ortega: Life, influenced by historicism, is an accumulation of personal experiences within a historical context. Reason (vital reason) is indispensable for analyzing circumstances, giving meaning to life, and developing authentic life projects. Time is linear.
This emphasis on vital reason is why Ortega’s philosophy is termed Ratiovitalism.
Life as a Project: Authenticity vs. Superman
Both philosophers view life as a project. For Nietzsche, the Übermensch (Superman) embodies this, while for Ortega, it is the person living an authentic existence. Both figures shape their lives creatively using their freedom.
Ratiovitalism’s Relevance Today: Perspectivism
From Ortega’s perspective, truth is composed of multiple realities; no single perspective holds the entire truth. This is the core of his perspectivism.
This idea relates to contemporary multicultural societies, where different cultures coexist, each holding value and importance. Truth, in this view, emerges from the sum or interplay of these perspectives. No single culture possesses the sole truth; rather, complementing each other leads towards a fuller understanding.
Multiculturalism can be seen as reflecting Ortega’s perspectivism, where different viewpoints (cultures) combine to potentially reveal a more comprehensive truth.