Miguel Ángel Gallo, a 92-year-old student, is writing his doctoral thesis by hand at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya in Barcelona [1, 2, 3].
Gallo's approach challenges the modern academic reliance on digital tools and highlights a personal philosophy regarding the cognitive and emotional impact of technology on learning.
The thesis focuses on the phenomenology of wonder [1, 2, 3]. Gallo spends six hours daily on the project [3]. He avoids digital word processing and typewriters, saying that he does not know how to use them [1].
This commitment to handwritten work is rooted in both practical limitations and a specific belief about the nature of creativity. Gallo said that screens are diminishing the sense of wonder [2]. By writing by hand, he believes he preserves a connection to the subject matter that digital interfaces erase.
Gallo's academic journey began later in life. He started studying Bellas Artes at age 83 [1]. He continued his studies for several years and completed his degree at age 90 [1].
His current work at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya marks a continuation of this lifelong pursuit of knowledge [2, 3]. The process of writing a doctoral thesis by hand is rare in contemporary academia, where digital submission and plagiarism software are standard requirements.
Gallo said, "I do not know how to write by machine" [1]. Despite the lack of digital proficiency, he has maintained a rigorous schedule to ensure the completion of his research [3].
“"Las pantallas están disminuyendo el asombro"”
Gallo's rejection of digital tools in a doctoral setting serves as a case study in the tension between traditional scholarship and the digital transition. While academic institutions have standardized digital workflows for efficiency and verification, his method suggests that the physical act of writing may influence the philosophical depth of the work produced.
