Proceedings of the XXIII World Congress of Philosophy

Volume 35, 2018

Philosophical Traditions in Latin America

The Concept of Human Being in Aztec Culture

Which was the sense of human life to Aztec wise men? Which were their ideas about good and evil? What kind of moral topics were developed inside the Aztec culture before the contact with the Spaniards, Christianity and European culture? What kind of speeches, reflections and proverbs were used to communicate moral values? These questions are only a little example of a variety of philosophical topics that could help us understand the building of the world vision developed by ancient Mexicans. My task at this time is to show some moral issues from the Mexican culture or the Aztecs, but seeing it as a genealogical point of view. With these ideas in mind, I will analyze briefly some topics like: moral tradition, the concept of human being, evil and good.