Critique & Commentary

General Commentary

“An Integrationist Philosopher”

The Openness of Integrationism

Commentary on Specific Works

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These comments speak for themselves. What is perhaps not evident is Ferrater Mora's response to them. He took serious criticism seriously and tried to learn from it. One can see this in his correspondence about the Dictionary of Philosophy when it was thought that it might be translated into English. Similarly, when he was learning to film, he sought out Nestor Almendros, the son of a friend and an internationally known professional cinematographer, precisely to ask for criticism. Ferrater was eager to hear the comments, however critical they might be, from a professional, from someone who "knew what he was doing." Ferrater Mora listened to criticism from various sources, his one criterion being that the critic must know what he was talking about. Sometimes, however, he made exceptions to this rule. For example, a student once attacked his philosophical ideas in an essay examination. His reaction was bemused interest, not annoyance at her audacity. On the other hand, he did not always react so generously to fools and in particular, to pompous fools.