Samuel Ramos
Encyclopedia
Dr. Samuel Ramos was a Mexican
philosopher
and writer
.
Ramos was born in Zitácuaro
, Michoacán
, and in 1909 entered the Colegio de San Nicolás in Hidalgo. He published his first works in the school's student publication Flor de Loto. In 1915 he began to study philosophy under the tutelage of his mentor Doctor José Torres Orozco.
He spent 1915, his first year of medical school in Morelia
, and his second and third years at the Military Medical School in Mexico City
. In 1919 he became part of the faculty of higher learning and taugh introductory philosophy at the National Preparatory School and logic
and ethics
at the National Teachers School.
He pursued specialized degrees at the Sorbonne
, the Collège de France
, and a University in Rome
. Upon his return to Mexico, he continued to teach and served in the Ministry of Public Education.
In 1944 he earned his doctorate
in philosophy from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
(UNAM) and became head of the faculty of philosophy and letters there. On July 8, 1952 he began a lifelong term as a member of the prestigious Colegio Nacional
.
of the Mexican nation
. He sees the pelado
, the "urban bum" of the 1920s and 1930s, as "the most elemental and clearly defined expression of national character". The machismo
of the pelado, he argues, is the result of an inferiority complex. Since the pelado represents the entire country, the "character study" is extended to all of Mexico, and was one of the first post-Revolutionary
attempts to define and assess the national character.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
philosopher
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...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Ramos was born in Zitácuaro
Zitácuaro
Zitácuaro is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The city is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name, which lies at the extreme eastern side of Michoacán and borders on the adjacent state of México...
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, and in 1909 entered the Colegio de San Nicolás in Hidalgo. He published his first works in the school's student publication Flor de Loto. In 1915 he began to study philosophy under the tutelage of his mentor Doctor José Torres Orozco.
He spent 1915, his first year of medical school in Morelia
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...
, and his second and third years at the Military Medical School in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. In 1919 he became part of the faculty of higher learning and taugh introductory philosophy at the National Preparatory School and logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
and 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:...
at the National Teachers School.
He pursued specialized degrees at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
, and a University in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Upon his return to Mexico, he continued to teach and served in the Ministry of Public Education.
In 1944 he earned his doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in philosophy from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
(UNAM) and became head of the faculty of philosophy and letters there. On July 8, 1952 he began a lifelong term as a member of the prestigious Colegio Nacional
Colegio Nacional
The National College is a Mexican honorary academy with a strictly limited membership created by presidential decree in 1943 in order to bring together the country's foremost artists and scientists, who are periodically invited to deliver lectures and seminars in their respective area of speciality...
.
Philosophy
His work concerns itself with the ontologyOntology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
of the Mexican nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
. He sees the pelado
Pelado
In Mexican culture in society, pelado is "a term invented to describe a certain class of urban "bum" in Mexico in the 1920s."Mexico has a long tradition of urban poverty, beginning with the léperos, a segregated caste of Mestizos, Central American people, and illegitimate Criollos during the...
, the "urban bum" of the 1920s and 1930s, as "the most elemental and clearly defined expression of national character". The machismo
Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity. As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism...
of the pelado, he argues, is the result of an inferiority complex. Since the pelado represents the entire country, the "character study" is extended to all of Mexico, and was one of the first post-Revolutionary
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
attempts to define and assess the national character.