Leonardo Polo: A Philosophy Open to the Future

"Leonardo Polo is important because he gives you confidence that thinking is worthwhile." "Hopeful" is the term José Ignacio Murillo, Full Professor of Philosophy, uses most often to describe the thought of his former teacher. For this reason, the 60th Philosophical Meetings, to be held November 5–7, are titled "A Philosophy Open to the Future." To mark the 100th anniversary of his birth and the 30th anniversary of his retirement, dozens of philosophers will gather at the University to present and discuss the “ bequest ” of Polo’s thought and his legacy today. And, above all, the role it can play in the future.

“He made a truly innovative contribution by uncovering a limitation of traditional and modern thought. He was a very ambitious thinker with an exceptional mind,” explains José Ignacio, director of this year’s Philosophical Meetings. Leonardo Polo discovered that humans tend to remain “fixed on the object, on what is thought” rather than focusing on the active reality that allows them to move forward. He dubbed this the “ withdrawal ” of the mental limit: “This way of thinking is important because today we encounter people who are defined by technological progress or political reality. In contrast, Leonardo Polo sought to blaze new trails with his sights set on the future. ‘He was a highly original thinker, although he believed that in philosophy, originality was not a value in itself, but rather truth.’”

Leonardo Polo applied this method to metaphysics and, with some effort, to transcendental anthropology. He was also interested in fields such as business and communication. Throughout his career, he left disciples wherever he went. Several of them will be coming to the University in the coming days to take part in the “ congress.” His “ bequest ” is breaking through the “ language ,” and interest in him is also growing in various European countries. “The influence of his thought reached the Americas, and he has several followers in Italy, where his works are being translated,” notes Murillo.

core topic 's figure in the department

“He wasn’t the only great philosopher at the University, but he laid the instructions for a very demanding, rigorous, and highly ambitious department ,” says José Ignacio Murillo, who, like other doctoral students, received guidance from Leonardo Polo as his director at thesis : “He challenged us to face the truth and to engage in philosophy that was on par with our times,” he says. Now, his students and the University are working to spread his bequest across the globe. A few years ago, his collected works—including his publications and notes—were published, along with three volumes of testimonies from people who had the opportunity to hear him speak; currently, plans are underway to produce a biography to better understand his intellectual pathway . “He has been a very significant figure in the history of philosophy, but his thought needs to be made known,” he continues.

The Philosophical Meetings are another means toward this end. For this reason, both José Ignacio Murillo and the rest of the department would like professors, students, and doctoral candidates to join the congress to gain a deeper connection with the figure of Leonardo Polo, who always made it a priority to bring knowledge to younger generations: “He taught many classes to first-year students and wrote an introductory book on philosophy. These works are accessible to a general audience,” he adds.

On November 5, 6, and 7, the “ congress ” will host ten lectures on the thought of the University’s late philosopher. Some of his closest disciples and scholars who have studied his work will lead sessions on topics such as identity and the real distinction between being and essence, as well as Leonardo Polo and the modern philosophy of freedom.

The complete program and registration information are available on the website.