Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Nicolás Gómez Dávila (18 May 1913 – 17 May 1994) was a Colombian philosopher and aphorist, sometimes referred to as the 'Nietzsche of the Andes'. He spent most of his life in the confines of his extensive library in Bogotá, having been educated in Paris. Due to severe pneumonia in his youth, he was tutored at home, developing a lifelong passion for classical literature. He never attended university but co-founded the University of the Andes in Bogotá in 1948. Gómez Dávila's literary output consisted almost entirely of aphorisms, which he termed 'escolios' (scholia or glosses). His first volume, 'Notas I', published in 1954, was privately printed and distributed among friends. This was followed by 'Textos I' in 1959, a book of essays. He rejected offers of political positions, including advisor to the president and ambassador, choosing to remain outside active political life. His philosophy is characterized by a deep critique of modernity, liberalism, democracy, and socialism, viewing the world influenced by these ideologies as decadent. He affirmed hierarchical structures and a traditionalist Catholicism. His thought is often described as a form of political theology, emphasizing that political errors stem from theological ones. Gómez Dávila's work only gained significant international attention in his later years through German translations, influencing philosophers like Robert Spaemann and Martin Mosebach. He identified with the 'reactionary' label, positioning himself beyond the traditional left-right political spectrum, advocating for a 'truth that will not die'.