Dos documentos relativos a la formación filosófica de Hidalgo

Abstract

Based on two documents: the Dissertation of Hidalgo and the Letter of Praise from Dr. Pérez Calama, published in 1784; the article gives account of some aspects of Hidalgo’s theological and philosophical thought. It highlights the rich ideological context surrounding the academic life of Hidalgo, especially during his stay in San Nicolas College in Valladolid (today Morelia). Hidalgo in his Dissertation proposes the renewal of the theology teaching method: it supports the idea that students should leave the ergotism (speculative scholasticism) and opt for the argumentative method of positive theology. Based on the Gerson ideas, Hidalgo criticizes the bad methods that prevail in classrooms, and proposes the union of positive method with Thomas Aquinas. In order of importance, his method suggests: relying on the sources, clarifying the meaning of the words so that they are consistent with the doctrine of the tradition, studying ecclesiastical history, locating the study in history and geography, and finally, it emphasizes the use of criticism. After the analysis, we can infer that in Hidalgo there is an ideological revolution prior to the Revolution of Independence.