Fernando Savater
Encyclopedia
Fernando Fernández-Savater Martín (born 21 June 1947) is one of Spain
's most popular living philosophers, as well as an essayist and celebrated author.
Born at San Sebastián
, he was an Ethics
professor at the University of the Basque Country
for over a decade. Presently he is a Philosophy
professor at the Complutense University of Madrid
. He has won several accolades for his literary work, which covers issues as diverse as contemporary ethics, politics, cinema and literary studies. In 1990, Savater and columnist and publisher, Javier Pradera
, founded the magazine, Claves de Razón Práctica.
He has taken an active part in several organizations engaged with peace in the Basque Country and against terrorism
and Basque nationalism
, such as Movimiento por la Paz y la No Violencia, Gesto por la Paz, Foro Ermua
, and currently ¡Basta Ya!
.
He defines himself as an agnostic, an anglophile and a defender of the Enlightenment
in the Voltaire
tradition.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's most popular living philosophers, as well as an essayist and celebrated author.
Born at San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, he was an Ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
professor at the University of the Basque Country
University of the Basque Country
The University of the Basque Country is the only public university in the Basque Country, in Northern Spain...
for over a decade. Presently he is a Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
professor at the Complutense University of Madrid
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
. He has won several accolades for his literary work, which covers issues as diverse as contemporary ethics, politics, cinema and literary studies. In 1990, Savater and columnist and publisher, Javier Pradera
Javier Pradera
Francisco Javier Pradera Gortázar was a Spanish anti-Franco activist, journalist, political analyst and publisher. Pradera was a journalist and columnist for El País, based in Madrid. Pradera worked as an editorial writer at El País from 1976 to 1986. His first piece for El País was published on...
, founded the magazine, Claves de Razón Práctica.
He has taken an active part in several organizations engaged with peace in the Basque Country and against terrorism
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
and Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
, such as Movimiento por la Paz y la No Violencia, Gesto por la Paz, Foro Ermua
Foro Ermua
The Foro Ermua is a Spanish civic association, the membership of which is composed of Spanish citizens...
, and currently ¡Basta Ya!
¡Basta Ya!
¡Basta Ya! is a Spanish grassroots organization uniting individuals of various political positions against terrorism, notably ETA, and against the proposal for a new Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country released by the government of President Juan José Ibarretxe...
.
He defines himself as an agnostic, an anglophile and a defender of the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
in the Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
tradition.