May 09

José Ortega y Gasset was born in Madrid in 1883 and became a leading voice in 20th-century continental philosophy. He explored themes of mass society, human existence, and cultural identity in works such as The Revolt of the Masses and Meditations on Quixote. Ortega's philosophy emphasized the dynamic relationship between the individual and society, coining the concept of 'perspectivism.' He founded the journal Revista de Occidente to promote intellectual exchange across Europe and Latin America. Ortega held academic positions at the University of Madrid and influenced generations of thinkers and writers. His essays and lectures addressed politics, art, and science with clarity and depth. He died in 1955, leaving a profound legacy in philosophical and cultural discourse.

Lucian Blaga was a central figure in Romanian culture, blending folklore motifs with existential and metaphysical inquiry. Educated in Vienna, he served as professor of philosophy at Cluj University, where he developed his theory of the 'mioritic space'. As a poet, his collections like Poemele luminii (Poems of Light) revealed a deep engagement with myth and the human condition. His plays, including Meșterul Manole, reinterpreted traditional legends through modernist perspectives. Blaga's philosophical essays on knowledge and culture remain influential in both literary and academic circles.

Graham Harman was born on May 9, 1968 in Boise, Idaho, USA. He is a leading figure in the Speculative Realism movement in contemporary philosophy. Harman developed object-oriented ontology (OOO), emphasizing the autonomy of objects. He has authored influential works such as The Quadruple Object and Tool-Being. Harman teaches at the American University in Cairo and has held positions at USC. His ideas have sparked debate across metaphysics, art theory, and environmental studies, marking him as an innovative thinker.