Benito Jeronimo Feijoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benito Jerónimo Feijóo
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Portrait of Feijóo y Montenegro
by Mariano Salvador Maella |
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| Born | October 8, 1676 |
| Died | September 26, 1764 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Monk, scholar, essayist |
Benito Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro (born October 8, 1676 – died September 26, 1764) was a very important Spanish monk and scholar from Galicia. He is remembered for encouraging new scientific ideas and critical thinking in Spain during a time called the Enlightenment. He helped people think differently and question old beliefs.
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Who Was Benito Feijóo?
Benito Feijóo was a key figure in the Spanish Enlightenment. This was a time in the 1700s when people started to use reason and science to understand the world. He was known for his clear writing and for trying to get rid of superstitions. He wanted people to rely on facts and evidence instead of old myths.
Early Life and Education
Benito Feijóo was born in a small place called Casdemiro, near Ourense, Spain. When he was just 12 years old, he joined the Benedictine monks. This meant he would dedicate his life to study and prayer. He studied in different cities in Spain, including Galicia, León, and Salamanca. He became very knowledgeable in many subjects.
Later, he became a professor at the University of Oviedo. There, he taught subjects like theology (the study of religion) and philosophy (the study of knowledge and existence). He spent most of his life teaching and writing in Oviedo, where he also passed away.
A Thinker and Writer
Father Feijóo was a famous essayist. An essay is a short piece of writing that discusses a specific topic. He wrote many essays that helped change how people thought in the 18th century. His writings were very influential and challenged many old ideas.
His two most famous collections of essays are Teatro crítico universal (which means "Universal Critical Theater") and Cartas eruditas y curiosas (meaning "Learned and Curious Letters"). These books were published over many years.
What Did He Write About?
Feijóo's essays covered a huge range of topics. He wrote about:
- Education: How people should learn and what they should be taught.
- Law: How laws should be fair and just.
- Medicine: He often wrote about new medical ideas and challenged old, unproven remedies.
- Superstitions: He loved to debunk myths and popular beliefs that had no scientific basis.
He was very interested in natural science. Many of his essays talked about scientific topics. He also wrote about the many myths and strange stories about creatures and lands that people believed in at the time. He used logic and evidence to show why these myths were not true. He wanted to bring new, scientific ways of thinking to Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Benito Jerónimo Feijoo para niños
