If we understand the human being as a rational being, who lives in society and is in search of truth, beauty and happiness, we can understand Jeangros' idea of ​​education: giving the person the possibility of finding the necessary tools for you to build your identity.

​

Already from Greek philosophy, the question why is the human being and what is the meaning of his life has determined the development of thought in all its manifestations, in the attempt to find a satisfactory and coherent answer that, however, given the The fickleness of history is always provisional. But the thought never stops, and the human being always looks for new ways to understand his history, his environment, his time, and give him a new answer to the fundamental question.

​

In this sense, culture, as a manifestation of thought at a specific historical moment, is a way of life. This implies a way of relating to others, a commitment to the development of literature, of history, of philosophy, of science, in a word: of civilization. Therefore, it is essential that human beings understand the intersections between knowledge and have a critical vision of reality, in order to build their personal identity and a system of values ​​and skills that allow them to establish human and social relationships that promote their development. personal and that of the community in which you live.

​

Thus, education is a process in which the student must find the search for tools so that he runs the risk of thinking for himself, for the sake of his freedom, so that he does not allow himself to be carried away by ideologies that are imposed on him from outside and that they try to give it an identity without foundation. In this process, simplicity, which is not the same as superficiality, and austerity are essential to always seek what is essential and true; the criterion of reality, which goes against the provisional aspect.

​

A humanistic education, then, favors adequate literary, historical, philosophical and scientific training to understand the role of the individual in the development of civilization and the construction of personal and social identity. It provides you with the necessary tools to understand the value of artistic manifestations in their historical context; teaches you to have communication experiences with other cultures in an intercultural perspective.

​

That is why we wanted to pay this tribute to Monsieur, to encourage young people to follow their own path, to risk seeking beyond the obvious, to widen the limits they encounter. And we do it by sharing our life experience. It is the experience of four Refousians who have dedicated themselves to building their identity, giving meaning to their search for truth and happiness from four different areas: Andrés Villaveces, from mathematics; Gaspar Hoyos, from music; Carolina Salamanca, from philosophy; Adolfo Sánchez, from education. They are life experiences guided by that idea of ​​being human that Jeangros had, by his humanistic desire to find the meaning of life.

​

The twelve texts that make up this tribute will give us elements to continue thinking about who Monsieur was and how the Réfous embodies what he was. And this exercise in rethinking Monsieur and his way of making his ideas concrete will help us to nourish ourselves on the Réfous to keep curiosity, rebellion, the desire to find truth, security and beauty alive.