Responsible Vision: The Philosophy of Julián Marías

I soon realized that much more than discipleship was involved, if by that term was meant a kind of scholastic continuation of Ortega's thought. Maries' work was marked not by imitation but by a sense of collaboration which began long before Ortega's death in 1955 and has continued in a most remarkable way to this day. It is as though they had undertaken some epic voyage, of the type that Spaniards have been noted for at times in their history, and when in distant seas the master falls, the mantle of responsibility for completing the mission then passes to his lieutenant. Marias has gone far beyond Ortega in many respects, but always in keeping with the original and inherent promise of Orteganism. 

But I discovered also that very little notice had been taken of these solid accomplishments. Here was a vision of truth waiting to be discovered, waiting to fulfill its clarifying and cleansing function in a world where truth in any form becomes ever rarer but by that same token more valuable and efficacious. As for Marias himself, there has been no undue haste to be recognized. Hear his own words: "He who is capable of creating something is not hurried. He can wait, because what he has created interests him for its own sake, because it is enough for him to have seen a parcel of truth, to have added to beauty, to have illuminated better some corner of the Universe."

Perhaps now Manas has waited long enough. Maybe now that less substantial men and ideas have had their day, the stage is ready not only to grant him a day but a place. Finally, if in some modest way this study will help to make this possible, it will have served its purpose and fulfilled my hopes.