ecclesiastic, political writer, and philosopher whose liberal ideas were strongly opposed by conservative Roman Catholics.

Receiving a doctorate in civil and canon law from the University of Cervera, Balmes returned to Vich and taught physics and mathematics. In Madrid he founded and edited a weekly newspaper, El pensamiento de la nación (“The Thought of the Nation”).

He is best known for his El protestantismo comparado con el catolicismo en sus relaciones con la civilización europea (1842–44; Protestantism and Catholicism Compared in Their Effect on the Civilization of Europe), a defense of Roman Catholicism against the accusation of being unsympathetic toward the spirit of progress. His philosophical works are El criterio (1845; “The Criterion”), called Balmes' logic; Filosofía fundamental (1846; Fundamental Philosophy), and Curso de filosofía elemental (1847; “Course of Elemental Philosophy”). A critical edition of his complete works was published in 33 volumes at Madrid (1948–50).