Pachayachachiq “The World Reveals Itself”: Philosophical Thought in Pre-Hispanic Society

The research explores the possibility of understanding pre-Hispanic Andean philosophical thought through the use of Quechua terms such as pacha (world, universe, space and time) and pachayachachiq (the world that reveals itself). The aim has been to philosophically analyse how the runas (persons) understood their existence within a dynamic cosmos. Methodologically, the research follows a qualitative approach and hermeneutic method. The documentary recording technique was adopted for the linguistic, historical and ethnographic sources, which enabled a critical interpretation of these sources to be carried out. Furthermore, the results have shown that the term pacha constitutes a complex ontological category that integrates time, space and the generative force of energies, differing from Western conceptions. Pachayachachiq, meanwhile, emerges as a socially constructed knowledge based on the observation of the natural cycle. Andean society is therefore understood through its tetradic structure: (hanan pacha: the world above, kay pacha: the world here, uku pacha: the world within, and kuteq pacha: the changing world); these structures are articulated under principles of complementarity–reciprocity. It is concluded that the exploration of pachayachachiq has made it possible to become aware of a relational ontology that enables the realisation of a life cycle of nature, humanity and the universe. This way of understanding the world calls into question the dualist postulates of the Western worldview and proposes developing a conception of reality in relation to an endless change, thereby enriching lived experience. This way of understanding things calls into question the dualist postulates of the Western worldview and proposes bringing things closer to a conception of reality governed by constant relation, endless change and the enrichment of one’s own vital experience—a contribution to intercultural philosophy.