Enrique Dussel’s concept of modernity: the intellectual evolution of a complex understanding of our age

This paper examines Enrique Dussel’s concept of modernity by offering an intellectual reconstruction of the evolution of his thought and argues that his conception of modernity is not a reductionist idea of Eurocentrism and colonialism. It emphasizes his transdisciplinary approach, spanning from history, economic history, metaphysics, and ethics, providing a rich and unparalleled understanding of modernity. This perspective reveals crucial aspects of the genesis and essence of modernity, as well as key insights to interpret its current state and fate. For this purpose, Dussel’s intellectual trajectory is divided into different phases. For each period, it highlights his primary interlocutors, topics of investigation, and insights about the essence of modernity. In this context, this paper emphasizes the roles of economic history, World-System analysis, and geopolitics in his philosophical project. In short, it argues that Dussel’s theory of modernity operates as a geopolitical turn in philosophy.