José Agustí­n Caballero Rodrí­guez de la Barrera

Philosopher and professor. Promoter of cultural changes and the first to seek an independent direction for philosophy. The most important figure in the philosophical reform on the island. He directed his efforts toward the critique of scholasticism on one hand, and toward the introduction of modern philosophy on the other. He was the uncle and educator of José de la Luz y Caballero.

He was born in La Habana, his parents were Bruno José Vicente Caballero y del Barco and his mother María Manuela Rodríguez Escudero y de la Barrera. He was born amid the occupation of La Habana by the English, and received the influence that left its mark on the plane of ideas.

He began his studies at the Seminario de San Carlos at twelve years of age, a place that would be the scene of his entire future life.

He graduated in Philosophy from the Real Colegio Seminario de San Carlos y San Ambrosio (1774-1781) where he also graduated as Bachelor of Arts and in Theology. In 1785 he won by competition the chair of Philosophy at that center of studies. He was part of a new generation of Creole reformists in whom the traces of the Enlightenment were observed.

Advisor during the government of Don Luís de las Casas (1790-1796). In 1793 he became part of the Sociedad Patriótica, and within it that same year he was appointed, successively, member of the board of the Casa de Educandas, of the Clase de Ciencias y Artes, member of the Board in charge of editing the Papel Periódico, member of the commission in charge of drafting the report or ordinance on public schools in primary education and, finally, censor.

He was appointed director (1794) and later substitute secretary (1796) of the Seminario de San Carlos. From 1804 until his death he held the chair of Scripture and Moral Theology at said Seminary.

In 1811 he drafted a Project of Autonomous Government for Cuba, directed to the National Courts through deputy Andrés Jáuregui.

In addition to initiating philosophical reform in Cuba, he advocated for overcoming routine scholasticism and introduced the doctrines of Locke, Condillac, Bacon and Newton. He collaborated in the "Papel Periódico de la Havana", the "Diario de La Habana" (1808-1812), "El Lince" (1811) and "El Observador Habanero" (1820-1824).

He translated from Latin the "History of the New World" and especially of Mexico, by Sepúlveda; from English the novel "Letters from Milady Julieta Castelvi to her friend Milady Enriqueta Campley"; from French the correspondence of "Sepúlveda with Melchor Cano" and the "Preliminary Lessons of the Course of Studies", by the abbot Condillac, etc.

He distinguished himself as a literary and customs critic, notable Latinist and orator. He used the pseudonyms El Amigo de los esclavos, El Amigo de los encarcelados, El Amante del periódico, El Redactor.

His work "Philosophía Electiva", in 1797, constitutes the first Cuban philosophical work.

Both in his writings and in his teaching, he reflected his concern about the country's backwardness in matters of education, science and enlightenment.

In 1813 he took charge of the education of his nephew José de la Luz y Caballero, invaluable work in the formation of future generations.

His "Philosophia electiva", written in 1797 as a school text, has been considered the first Cuban philosophical work.