Albert Busuttil
Encyclopedia
Albert Busuttil was a Maltese minor philosopher. In philosophy he was mostly interested in politics
and labour rights.
, Malta
in 1891. He studied at the Lyceum and at the University of Malta
, and later joined the Jesuits. He continued his philosophical studies in Jersey
, France
, and his theology in Posillipo
, Naples
, in Italy
, both centres of Jesuit teaching. He was ordained a priest in 1922. Afterwards, he taught ethics
in Ireland
, and history of philosophy
in Catania
, Sicily
. In Malta
he taught philosophy
, apologetics
, mathematics
, physics
, and sociology
. Between 1928 and 1945 Busuttil was Prefect of Studies at St. Aloysius College, Malta
.
During World War II
(1939–45) Busuttil would go around cities and villages gathering people in public squares and introducing them to the social teaching
of the Catholic Church. After the war he was than especially close to workers who were part of the newly founded General Workers Union, particularly at the shipyards. To people like Busuttil, the main worry in those days was the infiltration of the communist ideology within the workers’ movement. In 1947 he was appointed Spiritual Director of the union, an office he held up till 1951. He died in 1956.
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and labour rights.
Life
Busuttil was born at SliemaSliema
Tas-Sliema is a city located on the northeast coast of Malta. It is a centre for shopping, restaurants and café life. Tas-Sliema is also a major commercial and residential area and houses several of Malta's most modern hotels. Tas-Sliema, which means 'peace, comfort', was once a quiet fishing...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
in 1891. He studied at the Lyceum and at the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
, and later joined the Jesuits. He continued his philosophical studies in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and his theology in Posillipo
Posillipo
Posillipo is a residential quarter of Naples, southern Italy, located along the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples; it is called Pusilleco in the Neapolitan language.-Geography:...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, both centres of Jesuit teaching. He was ordained a priest in 1922. Afterwards, he taught 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:...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and history of philosophy
History of philosophy
The history of philosophy is the study of philosophical ideas and concepts through time. Issues specifically related to history of philosophy might include : How can changes in philosophy be accounted for historically? What drives the development of thought in its historical context? To what...
in Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. In Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
he taught 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...
, apologetics
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. Between 1928 and 1945 Busuttil was Prefect of Studies at St. Aloysius College, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1939–45) Busuttil would go around cities and villages gathering people in public squares and introducing them to the social teaching
Social teachings of the papacy
Social Teachings of the Popes involves the teachings of the Popes on social issues, starting with the encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII in 1891....
of the Catholic Church. After the war he was than especially close to workers who were part of the newly founded General Workers Union, particularly at the shipyards. To people like Busuttil, the main worry in those days was the infiltration of the communist ideology within the workers’ movement. In 1947 he was appointed Spiritual Director of the union, an office he held up till 1951. He died in 1956.
Works
Busuttil brought together his philosophical erudition and prowess, and his interest in mass education, particularly of workers. To this effect, he published a large number of pamphlets – more than sixty – which could serve as pocket-guides to the themes he chose to deal with. Though adopting a popular style and common language, he backed any of his arguments with a philosophical line of reasoning. Amongst his most worthy of consideration to philosophy, and also the most representatives of Busuttil’s thoughts and style, are the following:- 1945 - Dokumentazzjoni Nisranija-Kommunista (Christian-Communist Documentation).
- 1946 - Dostoievsky: Habbar tal-Bolxevizmu (Dostoyevsky: The Harbinger of Bolshevism).
- 1946 - That il-Hakma tal-Mingel u tal-Martell (Under the Yoke of the Sickle and Hammer).
- 1946 - It-‘Test Case’ Jew Il-Kalvarju tal-Polonja (The Test Case or Polond’s Calvary).
- 1946 - Il-Gwerra, il-Paci u l-Knisja (War, Peace and the Catholic Church).
- 1946 - Responsabbiltajiet u Rikostruzzjoni Socjali (Responsibilities and Social Riconstruction).
- 1946 - Zewg Gganti: USSR - USA (Two Giants: USSR - USA).
- 1946 - Demokraziji u Partit (Democracies and Political Parties).
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.
- Mark Montebello, Malta’s Philosophy & Philosophers, PIN Publications, Malta, 2011.
See also
- Philosophy in MaltaPhilosophy in MaltaPhilosophy in Malta refers to philosophy done by Maltese nationals or of Maltese descent, whether living in Malta or abroad, whether writing in their native Maltese language or in a foreign language.-Short history:...