U not the great thinkers of the century Colombian XIX was Carlos Arturo Torres, who was born in Santa Rosa de Viterbo, a town of conservative tradition, presented a rational and empiricist thought based on the Baconian philosophy, so it was considered an Englishman transplanted to the tropics, and his thinking was framed within the mainstream liberal, but as we shall see, this is only partially true.
To do understand the thinking of Carlos Arturo Torres, it is necessary to unravel certain concepts in his book Idola Fori, as this is reflected each facets of thought represented Torres over his life, beginning with its tendency Bacon.
In the first chapter of the book, Torres Baconian develops the concept of the Idols of the Forum, following which section develops his work, defining this way:
"It is well known that Bacon called" Idols of the Forum "(idola fori) those ideas-true formulas or political superstitions, which continue to prevail in the spirit after rational criticism has proven its falsity. " ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. "Idola fori." Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
Torres Bacon uses this concept as a starting point order to develop the central concept of his book: the evolution of ideas. According to this, Torres claims that human beings tend to ignore the natural tendency for ideas to evolve, and judged that the absolute truth is the truth that is "dedicated to fashion," ie the truth that is socially accepted, making when one of these Idols of the Forum to homogenize the collective knowledge away from the truth.
But Torres is not limited to the Baconian definition of the Idols of the Forum, but adds the following:
"Formula Bacon could complementary, thus indicating as included in the idolatry of the Forum, not only the ideas which have been proven false already, but those whose evidence has not been demonstrated yet, or may not ever show. " ( Torres Carlos Arturo. "idola fori." Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
As we can see, this excerpt from the book highlights the positivist thought of Carlos Arturo Torres, thought will characterize all his life.
Once developed these concepts, Torres argues that human thinking can evolve, it is necessary that these Idols of the Forum disappear, although they may re-emerge with "life and vigor in the countless possibilities the future " ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. " idola fori. "Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
This last quote shows the influence of Hegelian thought Carlos Arturo Torres, because in his book, believes that while the ideas and in general all the processes of human beings are in constant evolution, this evolution is not necessarily linear, but is attached to the concept of evolution because previously impersonated a thesis, you can emerge as a new synthesis on different social and historical conditions. This can be seen clearly shown when he states that:
"When Taine Penseroso to a glory gone, sadly exclaimed one day in the Eternal City" The history is a cemetery, "forgot that preserved within the ashes of the death camp, burning the fire of a perpetual resurrection. "
" The same event and react the same institution diverse and sometimes opposite way in every mind and every age time, forgotten or abandoned today as insignificant entities of life to flourish again tomorrow with the dual status of rehabilitation and youth ... " ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. " Fori idol. "Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
However, following these points raised by Carlos Arturo Torres, I dare say that in his book is a harsh critique of the absolutism of any kind, including the absolutism of the masses, that is critical to Idols of the Forum. Hence, Torres attacked so harshly to those Colombian political parties that lead the people to the fratricidal struggle for principles they believe in absolutes, and in some cases non-existent.
This criticism of violence, is developed most clearly in the section of the book entitled "Superstitions democratic ", where framed as one of the Idols of the Forum to that belief that the people's voice is the voice of God.
"The proverb attributed to the voice of the people the wonderful gift of infallibility and justice custodial voice of God is not confirmed, unfortunately, in the most tragic and decisive moments in history . ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. "idola fori." Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
According to this statement, one might think that the thought of Torres has an anti-liberal character, but this perception is wrong, because this statement simply highlights the rationalism, realism and common sense that characterized this great thinker, because history has shown that the mass actually behave irrationally and that its decisions in most cases are not the wisest.
Idol Forum This is greatly feared by Carlos Arturo Torres, because it believes that the masses are easily influenced, and that once they enter a state of collective violence, reasoning with them would be like "trying to discuss with the earthquake or convincing the cyclone" in the words of the Torres.
This irrationality of the masses becomes such that Torres says:
"... the amount of revolutions is in direct proportion to the goodness of the ruler to whom it was made, and reverse the wrongs they have received from the people who make them. Authoritarianism and intolerance for feelings very clear crowd comprising and practice and to accept when there are those who impose them, respectful of force, despises the goodness that is not their eyes but a form of weakness, sympathetic to the master that restrains, and whether crushing the fallen despot, is not to be, but lost its force moves into the category of the weak who are despised because they are afraid. " ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. " idola fori. " Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
These claims about the irrationality of mass again show the high esteem he feels Carlos Arturo Torres for any reason, and shows that rather than being embedded in a fixed ideology, is a freethinker, in the etymological sense of the word, or frame them in a purely liberal thought would a claim somewhat unfair for a brilliant mind like this man.
But for Torres there is a figure that is guiding the masses to this state of conflict, and other superstitions embodies democratic, that is another idol of the Forum: demagogy embodied in the demagogue.
" The demagoguery is the apparent ally of democracy and its obvious enemy, is the body of snipers located vanguard lost, discredited and hateful the army, is the exaggeration of the principle, which is to refute the very beginning." ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. "idola fori." Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
further states that:
"The character of the demagogue flattery of kings or governments, is identical background, and have observed Aristotle and Burke, quoted by Sainte-Beuve. The two courtiers, the top and bottom, have the same mentality and the same meanness, his views are equally interested and identical projects. Gratify the passions of which has the omnipotence, or village law, for personal profits, just in case the despot has a head and the other has five hundred thousand. " ( Torres, Carlos Arturo. "idola fori." Editorial Kelly, Bogotá. 1994.)
This thinking about the despots, you can see clearly represented in the strong critical reviews made by Carlos Arturo Torres and demagogic warmongers sectors present in the Colombian party at the time of a Thousand Days War, thus demonstrating a major weaknesses of Colombian democracy, namely, ignorance of the masses and taking advantage of this by demagogues, who have to make it the worst of tyrannies: the tyranny of the masses driven by special interests.
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