Who was juan gines de sepulveda?

Answer 1

Spanish humanist and scholar of the 16th century. Born in Spain, he was trained in Italy as a Latin scholar and wrote one of the best translations of Aristotle's great works of his time.

He is most well known for his participation in the Valladolid Controversy, a debate between Bartolome de las Casas and himself over the justification of Spain's imperial control over the New World (now known as Central and South America). Sepulveda believed that the natives were not humans but natural slaves and pagans besides. Because of this, he postulated that it was necessary for the Spanish conquistadors to dominate them, for their own good. His opponent disagreed and after the debate was completed (for which no final judgment was published by the council they appeared before), Las Casas succeeded in preventing Sepulveda's works from being printed or distributed. The news of his work still spread however and his writings served to calm most feelings of guilt for the conquerors in the New World.

Today's society would find Sepulveda to be extremely racist, but his views were actually more in line with the times than his opponent.

Answer 2

Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda was a Spanish humanist, historian, moral philosopher, and theologian. He is best known for his debate with Bartolomé de las Casas regarding the treatment of indigenous people in the Americas. Sepúlveda argued in favor of the Spanish colonization and conversion of indigenous peoples using force if necessary.