Benito Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro

Benito Jerónimo Feijoo y Montenegro [ benito xeɾonimo feixoo i monteneɰɾo ] ( born October 8, 1676 in Casdemiro in the present province of Ourense, † September 26, 1764 in Oviedo, also: Hieronymite Benito Feijoo ) was a Spanish religious cleric and scholar, as a precursor the Enlightenment scientific thought in Spain promoted.

Biography

Feijoo was the oldest of ten siblings and could take as such the right of the firstborn in the claim. He refrained, however, it and entered the Benedictine monastery of San Juan in Samos ( Galicia) at the age of 13 years when. He attended the Colegio de San Esteban in Rosas del Sil and 1692, the Colegio de San Salvador in Lérez (Pontevedra ), to study art. Three years later he was sent by his superiors to study theology at the Colegio de San Vicente in Salamanca. He then studied for another three years at Colegio de San Pedro de Eslonza (León ). He was ordained in San Juan monastery in Samos as a priest.

From 1709 to his death lived Feijoo in Oviedo, where until his retirement in 1739 he taught theology and philosophy at the University. He was twice abbot of the monastery of San Vicente. Benito Jerónimo Feijoo After his death, was buried under the altar steps of the monastery church.

Works

1725 Feijoo began his literary production. This year his Carta de la Medicina apologetica Escéptica, Martínez del doctor appeared. His main works are Teatro crítico universal ( 8 volumes, 1726-1739 ) and Cartas y eruditas curiosas (5 volumes, 1742-1760 ).

Feijoo treated in his works a wide range of issues, education, law, medicine, and art covers, which is why they have encyclopedic character. Other topics include but also superstition and folk belief that he is trying to refute. It is therefore also known as " reconnaissance of Spain ".

Cartas y eruditas curiosas is a collection of learned letters, which were published 1742-1760. During his lifetime were published translations into French, Portuguese, English and Italian.

Even as a writer Galician language is Feijoo important.

Expenditure

• Teatro Crítico Universal ( Madrid, 1726 to 1739, Supplement 1740)
• Cartas y Eruditas Curiosas (Madrid, 1742-1760, supplementary volumes in 1781 and 1783 )
• Modern edition: Teatro crítico universal. Edited by Ángel Fernández - González, Raimundo, 4th edition, Madrid: Cátedra, 1989, ISBN 84-376-0252-1.