The Birth of Thought in the Spanish Language

This book takes readers on a philosophical discovery of a forgotten treasure, one born in the 14th century but which appears to belong to the 21st. It presents a critical, up-to-date analysis of Santob de Carrión, also known as Sem Tob, a writer and thinker whose philosophy arose in the Spain of the three great cultures: Jews, Christians, and Muslims, who then coexisted in peace.

The author first presents a historical and cultural introduction that provides biographical detail as well as context for a greater understand of Santob's philosophy. Next, the book offers a dialogue with the work itself, which looks at politics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and theodicy. The aim is not to provide an exhaustiveanalysis, or to comment on each and every verse, but rather to deal only with the most relevant for todays world.

Readers will discover how Santob believed knowledge must be dynamic, and tolerance fundamental, fleeing from dogma, since one cannot avoid a significant dose of moral and aesthetic relativism. Subjectivity, within its own codes, must seek a profound ethics, not puritanical but which serves to escape from general ill will. Santob offers a criticism of wealth and power that does not serve the people which appears to be totally relevant today.

In spite of the fame he achieved in his own time, Santob has largely remained a vestige of the past. By the end of this book, readers will come to see why this important figure deserves to be more widely studied. Indeed, not only has this medieval Spanish philosopher searched for truth in an unstable, confused world of contradictions, but he has done so in a way that can still help us today.

Ilia Galán (Miranda de Ebro, Burgos, Spain-1966) Professor of Humanities, Aesthetics and Theory of Art in Carlos III University, bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) at Navarra University, and, (Journalism) at Leioa, Doctor, Philosophy of Art at Universidad Complutense of Madrid with the thesis: Deus vel Ars sive Natura: Shelling", editor and founding member of the Philosophy magazine: Aula Cero, producer of the literary magazine: Ahora, contributor and honoured collaborator at the Philosophy Faculty in Universidad Complutense de Madrid.. He also studied in Cambridge University (UK), and Boulogne-sur-Mer (France). Academic Visitor in the universities of Sorbonne (Paris IV), Oxford, University of Exeter (UK), New York University, Harvard University and Università per Stranieri di Perugia (Italy). He has received a number of awards and grants from Universities, Goverment, and Rich Foundation. He is also a poet, novelist, essay writer, columnist in La Tribuna paper (and others like El País, Diario de Noticias, Diario de Burgos, Diario Palentino, Diario de Ávila, El Día de Valladolid, etc). Review¿s director: Conde de Aranda (Estudios a la luz de la francmasonería). Internetional Prize Research Samuel Toledano (Jerusalén, 2014).

Part I. Introduction to the Historical and Cultural Context.- Chapter 1. The life of Rabbi Santob.- Chapter 2. Works of Santob.- Chapter 3. The book: Proverbs.- Chapter 4. Originals.- Chapter 5. Philosophy in the Spanish Kingdoms in the Time of Santob.- Chapter 6. Some Notable Features of Santobs Original Philosophy.- Chapter 7. Carrión at the Time of Santob.- Chapter 8. The Jews of that Period and the Jews in Carrión.- Chapter 9. Palencia and Europe at that Time.- Chapter 10. The Kings of Castile and Leon: Alfonso xi, Pedro i,the Cruel and Enrique ii of Castile. The Political and Civil Environment of the Work of Santob.- Part II. Dialogue with Santob: Reflections on Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Ethics Aesthetics, Metaphysics and Theodicy.