On human equality in the philosophy of Benito Feijoo: an ethical reading of his Universal Critical Theater

Abstract

The following paper attempts to address the philosophy of Benito Feijoo regarding the analysis of a central element that, however, has not been frequently worked on: its ethical dimension. We will argue that Feijoo's commitment to a full and autonomous exercise of reason, to philosophy as a critical activity, involves a fundamental ethical and human commitment, which has an undoubted singular value. We will propose that this ethical dimension is articulated around the rational consideration of human beings as equals that derives from the Feijonian exercise of disabusing common errors and is postulated as the foundation of all human relationships. To defend this hypothesis, we will approach Feijoo's philosophical project, focusing on his analysis of human practices and beliefs, from which an ethical perspective is built. We will take three possible examples in which this dimension becomes tangible: (1) the allegation Feijoo makes in favor of the Jewish people, (2) the considerations he presents about the native inhabitants of the American continent and (3) the defense he deploys regarding women in one of his central works, the Universal Critical Theater.