CUBA INSIGHT

The Cuban Studies Institute Publications

Félix Varela y Morales [Presbítero] (1787-1853)

Havana-born philosopher, Father Varela studied at the Colegio y Seminario de San Carlos, where he became a priest and professor of philosophy as the protégé of Bishop Díaz de Espada.  Many of his students, including José Antonio Saco and José de la Luz y Caballero, achieved intellectual distinction.  He favored modern doctrines and pioneered explicative teaching to replace Scholasticism’s rote memorization.  He also secured the acceptance of Spanish instead of Latin as the language of instruction.  Popular with his students, he sympathized with their liberal ideas and dislike of Spanish absolutism.  As a Creole intellectual, he was unique in his vocal opposition to slavery.  Elected to the Cortes in 1821, he achieved distinction as a liberal reformer, advocating a more benign rule over the remaining colonies.  When Ferdinand VII recovered personal power in 1823, Varela was forced into exile in the United States, where he published the pro-independence El Habanero.  For this he is considered the first Cuban to advocate a complete separation of Cuba from Spain.  His writings include: Ideario CubanoInstituciones de filosofía ecléctica (1812-1814), Apuntes filosóficos (1818), and Lecciones de filosofía, and the literary works Cartas a ElpidioCartas eruditas, and Teatro crítico universal.  The University of Havana collected his Miscelanea filosófica in 1944.

2 thoughts on “Félix Varela y Morales [Presbítero] (1787-1853)”

  1. Joel Garcia Esteve

    Gran Cubano Criollo. Interesante que el ano de su muerte es el ano en que nuestro Apostol, Jose Marti Perez, nace. Buena continuacion.

  2. I am sure this new series will help many Cubans to learn our History, even names that they have never heard of.
    I am going to pass it to my grandchildren so they will learn the background and culture of their mother and grandparents.
    And if interested, may a good research of them that perhaps might use for a history paper in college.
    Thanks once again.
    Tania Alvarez Bravo

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