Mario Bunge in the Complex Argentina of the 1940s–1960s

Abstract

Towards the end of the decade of 1940 Mario Bunge began to be acknowledged, in Argentina’s intellectual circles, as a young theoretical physicist seriously interested in philosophy, and also, deeply committed to social and intellectual advance. Mario came from a family that moved to Argentina in the early nineteenth century, soon after Independence, and acquired a dominant financial position through its activity in the international grain exports business. In the late 1930s there was, in Argentina, a small group of scientists and philosophers interested in exploring the boundaries of their disciplines. Among them Julio Rey Pastor, who had a profound influence in the development of mathematics there; the philosopher Francisco Romero, and the historian of science Aldo Mieli. In 1955 there was a new military coup; its leaders, with more experience in dealing with vocal university students, allowed for some changes to take place at the universities; some were definitely positive. In turn, these changes made possible a creative period that extended from 1956 to 1966, partly under military, partly under obedient civilian rule. However, it ended in disaster, with massive emigration of scientists and intellectuals in 1966. It was in that decade that Mario Bunge was reinstated as a physics professor at the Faculty of Science of the University of Buenos Aires. However, he soon moved to the Philosophy Faculty of the same university, as a full professor of Philosophy of Science. There he began the difficult task of updating the teaching of his subject to more recent and advanced standards, with reference to more modern authors and methodologies. Bunge’s activities, mainly in the 1950s, just before he left his country, and their impact in Argentina’s intellectual life, are the subject of this paper.