From Philosophy Classrooms to award : Silvia Bardelás’s Literary Perspective

Some people argue that philosophy is a discipline of the past, but Silvia Bardelás ’s (FIA ’89) career shows that it is, in fact, the best tool understanding the present.

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Navarra, Silvia has not only devoted her thoughts to the essay with a recent publication from the publishing house but has also transformed her humanistic vision into a project : the publishing house De Conatus.

In a market dominated by large corporations, Silvia has demonstrated that publishing house “instinct” publishing house from intellectual rigor. Her pioneering support for authors such as Jon Fosse, award 2023 award in Literature award , and best-selling author Percival Everett confirms that a training Humanities the driving force behind exceptional intuition.

In this interview, we spoke with her about how critical thinking serves as the necessary compass for discovering the great voices of contemporary literature, and why the publishing house world publishing house the profound perspective of philosophy now more than ever.

Q. You earned a degree in philosophy before entering the publishing house. In a market as vast as today’s, how has your training helped you define De Conatus’s identity? Which skills you acquired during your training have result useful to you in this sector and in carrying out your professional work?

I believe that a training philosophy fosters development that enables one to understand texts on a deep level, connect various topics, and learn to articulate ideas, among other things. For those who wish to pursue a work other than teaching any work, training is necessary. In my case, I studied Creative Writing.

Q. Did you know during your degree program you wanted to work in publishing house industry, publishing house was that a path that became clear over time?

Actually, I’ve always wanted to write novels, and I felt training was the best way to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition. In fact, I wrote and published novels before becoming an editor, and I still do.

Becoming a publisher stemmed from a need to seek out and bring to light texts that I couldn’t find in bookstores—texts that were more avant-garde or better suited to our current needs. It all adds up; one thing leads to another. In fact, I improve as a writer by editing, and I edit better by being a writer.

Q. When Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in 2023, you had already taken a chance on him at an publishing house . Do you think it was, in fact, your training that allowed you to recognize his genius before the major publishing groups did? Do you see publishing as a quest for "truth" or meaning, similar to the philosophical pursuit?

Specifically, Jon Fosse is a writer on a quest who delves into the human condition in a way that I believe very few do these days. At the same time, because he writes with such authenticity, he has expanded the range of narrative resources we had at our disposal. To me, he is the author of existential consciousness. So yes, I do believe that my training led me to take notice of him and that our publishing house on his literature despite his very low sales.

Q. You’ve struck a balance in this field: from Fosse’s Nobel Prize to Percival Everett’s commercial success. Do you think studying Humanities gives Humanities a special insight into which stories—even complex ones—can resonate with a wide audience?

Percival Everett is an author who studied philosophy. All of his novels contain references to philosophers. All of his books are grounded in a well-structured critical perspective on the world. The sense of humor and irony—which are central to his novels—stem from his personality. The combination of these two factors makes him a unique author. It’s wonderful that someone so profound can reach a wide audience. This doesn’t usually happen. It’s also wonderful that he writes so many books and that each one has something special and distinct.

Q. You recently published an essay Acantilado, one of the reference letter publishers reference letter our country. Has your experience “on the other side”—as an editor—influenced your own writing? Is philosophy the central focus of your creative thinking?

The essay a form of writing I’m passionate about because it embraces every style of writing. I wrote *A New Consciousness* from a philosophical perspective, proposing a shift in the way we think and feel in order to change our world. And I did so using my own narrative style. It’s an essay speaks to the reader in an intimate and sensitive way, in keeping with what I’m proposing. I’ve been able to do this after all these years of combining literature and philosophy. In this case, I didn’t act as the editor. I’ve loved having someone as wonderful as Sandra Ollo.

Q. People often question the career prospects of Humanities degrees. As the founder of this project, what would you say to a student who is unsure whether their degree program will prepare degree program for the workforce?

In my view, Humanities degrees Humanities very personal. They require a deep interest and a genuine drive for knowledge depth. If pursued with this sincerity, they can be essential for finding work. training critical thinking, in understanding the history of humanity, in gaining a thorough understanding of different cultures, in effective communication, and in reading comprehension is essential for approaching any work. These days, I find it very interesting to knowledge develop our knowledge skills in depth knowledge then pursue a specialization Master's Degree specialization the work area work .

Q. What committee to current students who want to focus their degree program the world of culture, publishing, or related fields?

My first piece of advice is to read a lot—and above all, to read the classics. That’s where you’ll find everything. Anyone who knows how to read—who has seen how the human condition has been portrayed throughout history—is well-equipped to understand what’s happening to us today and what it takes for a contemporary book to be good. As an editor, what I value most—regardless of the specific work the publishing house—is that someone is a good reader.

Reading good books is the best way to develop your imagination, because what is written needs to be imagined. And imagination is essential for coming up with new ideas, for seeing possibilities, for opening up new worlds—for everything.