Institut Ramon LLull

In his book La penúltima bondat, Josep Maria Esquirol revealed himself to be a thinker able to reach a wide audience without sacrificing rigour or depth. With this title, he again surrounds himself with like-minded authors (Lévinas, Heidegger or Merleau-Ponty) in order to create an original thesis that proves his thought is constantly evolving. He proposes a philosophy of intimacy, expressed in simple—almost palpable—words, inviting us to question where our essence as human beings resides. Avoiding any absolutes, Esquirol locates the human condition out at the mercy of the elements, on very particular margins, perhaps disoriented, with no centre to yearn for or attempt to locate. Exploring concepts such as desire, creation, and gratitude, the author concludes that we are defined by our ability to be open to others: to care for one another, to listen, to be generous. These various forms of kindness are what define us as human beings.