Mexico City, March 23, 2023.- The Philosophical Association of Mexico (AFM), an organization dedicated to the promotion of research and teaching of this discipline in our country, recognized the work of María de las Mercedes Espinosa Quintana, Luis Enrique Bazet Velásquez y Elías Chahín Sangochianall alumni of the School of Philosophyat Universidad Panamericana with the 2019-2020-2021National Thesis Award in Philosophy.
The purpose of this contest is to recognize and disseminate the best philosophy theses produced in our country and to contribute to the improvement of philosophical research.
Religious conceptions
Religious worldviews according to Max Weber and their application to an interreligious dialogue today was the title of the 2020 bachelor's thesis that made Mercedes Espinosa the winner.
"The 'religious conceptions of the world' in Weber are a set of values and ideas that make it possible to give meaning to the arrangement of the universe and the existence of humanity, in addition to giving a direction to the life and actions of individuals who believe and act under the guidance of a religious conception," he specifies.
About her interest in writing about this topic, she explains that before starting her degree she lived in Germany for a year, where she met people from different cultures and religions: "(...) I was fascinated by the idea of trying to understand how their religion and culture influences the way they understand politics, their role in society, family roles, among other aspects" .
About the award she says: "Receiving this recognition was a great surprise (...) I am proud to be part of a group of young people who are interested in researching current issues from Philosophy. I think that this kind of contests vindicate the philosophical work in Mexico, which is sometimes undervalued, but has a lot to say about what is happening in the world".
Nothing relevant?
Kant and Herder on the theme of language was the title under which Luis Enrique Bazet was awarded an honorable mention for his undergraduate thesis 2020. About the topic he chose he explains: "I was surprised to note that since Kant's own times he was already accused of not having written anything interesting about language, an idea still very much in vogue".
"I wondered if in such a large work there really wasn't anything about it. I was encouraged to discover that there was and that others, a few, had discussed it. So I started researching the subject out of curiosity and continued because I kept finding things that kept the research interesting," he says.
"It was very gratifying to receive the honorable mention. Writing a thesis is difficult and laborious and it is nice to feel that, in the opinion of some of my colleagues, I have not done a bad job. I also take it as an award for UP, whose Faculty of Philosophy I am very fond of," he says of the recognition.
German Idealism
Elias Chahin , for his part, with the work An approach to the thought of Fichte in Die Bestimmung des Menschenwhich also earned him an honorable mention for his undergraduate thesis 2021, made a hermeneutic approach to the thought of the German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte and devoted himself to showing the continuity that exists in his philosophical system after the so-called "polemic of atheism".
"German idealism was always one of my favorite subjects during my undergraduate studies. Finding in Fichte a philosopher who based his thinking on action intrigued me a lot, as well as how little he had been studied for various reasons," he says of the choice of topic.
For him, having obtained this recognition "was a great pride and a great way to close a cycle that meant a lot of effort, but also a lot of growth," he says.
UP Philosophers
Mercedes, Luis Enrique and Elías all agree that their work would not have prospered without the support of their professors at the Panamericana School of Philosophy, such as Dr. Vicente de Haro, Dr. Cecilia Coronado Angulo, Dr. Luis Xavier López Fajeat, Dr. José Hernández Prado and Dr. André Laks .
In the opinion of the four graduates, a UP philosopher is distinguished by "the seriousness with which they carry out their work, their formality and that, in general, they read a lot of Aristotle", says Luis Enrique; to which Elías adds "it seems to me that the fact that we are small generations allows us to form a community in which respectful and constructive dialogue is promoted".
"The training we receive at the School of Philosophy is very rigorous in its form, that is, in the methods of study and research that we are taught, and in its background, as we make a thorough review of different currents of thought, schools and thinkers who defined the Philosophy of today," describes Mercedes.
To which he adds, "This knowledge base has allowed me to understand the influence of different ideas and concepts in areas such as history, culture, politics and society, which has been an incredibly useful tool in my professional experience."
Studying at Panamericana?
It is for these reasons that the three alumni say they recommend new prospective students to study at our university. "The School of Philosophy is an incredible place to study. I was surprised by the diversity of thought and the openness to dialogue of all my classmates," says Mercedes.
He also adds: "In recent years a great effort has been made to promote multiple research projects focused on current issues (...) that not only enrich the academic life of the faculty, but also offer growth opportunities to students".
Luis Enrique also emphasizes the personalized treatment given to students, as well as the proximity they have with prominent researchers: "The faculty professors always try to find a space in their busy schedules for the students. Personally, I think it is the best place to be trained as a philosopher at the undergraduate level in Mexico.
"At UP you will find a great curriculum, but above all great professors who support it and who will show you, with the necessary academic rigor, how philosophy is still important in day-to-day life," concludes Elias.
