Five renowned Latin American philosophers gathered at the University of Cauca to share with students and professors an alternative way of thinking.

Philosophy, Ethics, Morality, and Law from a Latin American perspective was the title of the forum that brought together five distinguished Latin American philosophers: Alcira Bonilla, Silvana Rabinovich, Juan Carlos Aguirre, Alejandro Rosillo, and Alejandro Medici. The event, held in hybrid format at the Virginia Gutiérrez Auditorium of the University of Cauca, aimed to interconnect three key themes.

“The motivation behind organizing this event is to foster a critical intercultural dialogue between the perspectives we’ve been working on within the Department of Philosophy those of Western philosophy and alternative Latin American approaches,” explained Professor Diana Alejandra Soto Ossa.

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“These latter approaches show us how, from Latin America, we are rethinking ourselves and our direction. Our Latin American thinkers drink from Western philosophy, yet they take it and reshape it within and for our continent. It’s a philosophy that calls us toward the liberation of people, the liberation of nature, and of humanity, which has endured immense suffering in recent decades.”

In addition to members of the Unicauca community, students from Unicomfacauca also took part in the forum. “They study Social Work and aim to raise their voices not only from what we do in philosophy, concerned with thought and the mind, but also through action,” Professor Soto Ossa added. “We hope that, through their voices, this kind of Intercultural and Liberation Philosophy can lead to some real change.”

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When attendees asked how to overcome the crisis currently engulfing society, the response from the Latin American thinkers was clear: we must organize ourselves as people, because liberation does not come from the top down, but from the bottom up. “Those who oppress us will not set us free; liberation must be claimed by the peoples who have been subordinated and oppressed since colonial times until today,” emphasized the professor.

Regarding future editions of the forum, organizers noted that they hope to continue expanding these dialogues, not only with Latin American philosophers but also with thinkers from Europe and Asia.

 

Written by: Communications Management Center