Those of us fortunate enough to know  Rafael Alvira  can say that being with him was like conversing through philosophy and philosophizing through conversation.  For him, philosophy was more than a profession, more than a job, more than a part of his life: it was his way of living  , and therefore, all of life (his own, that of others, that of society) was the object of his philosophizing. Nothing escaped his scrutiny: the grand and the small, the divine and the human, the logical and the absurd, the serious and the trivial. And so, from the very beginning of a conversation, one found oneself immersed in the attempt to unravel the deepest truth of whatever was the subject of the dialogue.

And it so happened that, since he had already philosophized about almost everything, each conversation was an invitation to take a walk along a path he had already traveled. Then the need to know his opinion on whatever came up along the way arose spontaneously, and the conversation flowed like the crystal-clear water of a stream in the middle of a forest.  Conversing with Rafael Alvira allowed one to glimpse the truth of every aspect of reality. And for the same reason, each conversation was as enriching as a class, and each of his classes unfolded like a conversation . This is what Socrates’ friends must have perceived after a conversation with him. And that is precisely the experience that *  Conversar la vida* (Conversing Life) offers us : spending time cultivating a love of wisdom, under the guidance of a teacher who speaks with both simplicity and depth.

(…) the interviewers raise topics related to the foundations of philosophy, such as the meaning of certain metaphysical concepts—nothingness, difference, unity—and their connection to  the imbalances caused by modernity; the meaning of human life; virtue as an inner strength that leads to God; and the consequences of excessive emotionality in relationships.  The reader will be surprised by Rafael Alvira’s ability to connect abstract metaphysical questions with the vicissitudes of everyday life, all illustrated—and enlivened—with anecdotes from his own life.

(…) Given the time and energy Alvira dedicated to it, the role of organizations in shaping society, and particularly  the true meaning of business activity , could not be overlooked . We then delve into topics such as the genuine meaning of economics, organizations as a reflection of the family, and business management understood as governance rather than strategic administration, to name a few examples.

(…) In the book, he explains the relationship between political philosophy and social reality: contrary to the modern notion that sees the essence of the polis in power relations, a comprehensive understanding reveals that  the essence of society is constituted by relationships of service and, consequently, an authentic political philosophy must focus on the conditions that foster in people an attitude of service to others. This leads us to conclude that these conditions are acquired in the family, which is not only the cell of society but also its soul . Hence the unavoidable failing of democracy, which is inspired by the individual and their aspiration to a poorly understood—radical, reductionist, materialistic—freedom and equality, and the error of some Catholics who attempt to justify a Christian vision of it.

Given the scenario described, the reader might think that reading the book will lead to despair. Anyone who has enjoyed conversations with Rafael Alvira knows that this cannot be the case. In every conversation with him, one could see the conviction that God is the Lord of History and the unwavering confidence that, despite the shadows that seem to engulf our world, these do not annihilate the irrepressible human yearning for freedom, which is embodied in loving submission to Providence.

Every genuine conversation is, to some extent, philosophical, and every philosophical action leads to truth, and every truth liberates, and every liberation engenders hope. Therefore, if upon finishing “Conversing Life” the reader feels hopeful, it is because the master’s reflections have resonated—to a greater or lesser degree—within their soul. Then they can truly say:  “I have had a conversation with Rafael Alvira.”

Source: summary of the article published in El Debate: ‘  Conversar la vida’: la filosofía como manera de vivir

See on this blog:  Reflections on the family

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