Image: Paula Farías
In the Central Building of the UNSJ, the rector of this University, Tadeo Berenguer, and the vice-rector, Analía Ponce, received on the morning of this Wednesday, June 26, the president of the Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires (ANCBA), Damasia Becú from Villalobos; to the rector of the Catholic University of Cuyo, María Laura Simonassi, and to its vice-rector of Training, priest Ángel Hernández. That meeting of representatives of educational, scientific and academic institutions was a way to begin to bring together different disciplines in the same space to make dissertations on various topics. Such is the “soul” of the First Conference on Philosophy, Sciences and Spirituality, organized by these three institutions.
Authorities from the provincial government also attended this first edition, such as the Minister of Production, Labor and Innovation, Gustavo Fernández, and the Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation Germán Von Euw. In addition, the Secretary of Science and Technology of the UNSJ, Eric Laciar, and the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Humanities and Arts of this University, Myriam Arrabal, among other UNSJ authorities, were present.
As part of the meeting, philosopher Francisco García Bazán, senior academic in the Philosophy and History of Religions section of the ANCBA, offered a remote dissertation.
The UNSJ at the Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires
Another significant presence for these conferences was that of the FFHA philosopher, director of the Doctorate in that discipline, Patricia Ciner. She is the only San Juan member of the ANCBAwhere he works in the field of Philosophy with his patristic studies. Ciner was a mentor at these Conferences.
“Moderate scientific materialism”
Rector Tadeo Berenguer highlighted that the postulate of these First Conferences “is to link philosophy, science and spirituality, trying to moderate the scientific materialism that apparently was predominating in the pure scientific fields of our academies.” “Human beings are physical, social and spiritual. Fortunately Those days are leaving behind when science affirmed that only what is measurable or observable exists.. Today we know that science and spirituality, rather than being contradictory, are complementary,” said the Rector of the UNSJ.
Without antagonisms
The signing of agreements between the three institutions to link various areas of knowledge through inter- and transdisciplinary dialogues was already scheduled as an important part of the meeting. For this reason, the authorities of each of them signed framework agreements. Later, in an interview with Prensa Institucional, it was Patricia Ciner herself who pointed out that this is only the beginning and that it would be crossed by Philosophy, but that more meetings with other sciences will follow.
The president of the ANCBA, Damasia Becú, told the Press that in that place coordinated by her “there are philosophers, lawyers, astronomers, doctors, and me, who is a biochemist.” “Today’s world is very agnostic and believes that science is about moving forward and leaving spirituality aside, but there are many people who manage to combine this in their lives. Science is not antagonistic to spirituality,” he said.
Possible links
After the opening ceremony there were three presentations. First of all, Damasia Becú referred to “Academy, Science and Women”. Then, Juan Carlos Alby, teacher and researcher at the National University of the Litoral, the Catholic University of Las Misiones and the Catholic University of Santa Fe, did so with the topic “Philosophy, Sciences and the Sacred: a possible link.” Finally, Patricia Ciner spoke about “Eschatology, Sciences and Spiritual Traditions”, in which He dealt with the question of whether there is life after death.
