Verticality as Non-Religious Spirituality

Authors

  • Ivo Jiràsek Palacký University Olomouc

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.v16i2.191

Keywords:

spirit, meaning of life, vertical dimension, spirituality, religion

Abstract

Spirituality is often perceived as a synonym for religion. In this article, I would like to point to some alternative definitions of spirituality grounded in Max Scheler’s philosophical anthropology. Scheler states that the essence of a human being is not exhausted by practical intelligence, as though it was the culmination of a gradational anthropology. The distinctive principle characterizing the human way of being, is “the spirit” (der Geist). At the centre of its various manifestations is a person, with its freedom, its “openness to the world.” Spirituality can therefore become a symbol of searching for the meaning of life. Thus, the spiritual dimension (also called the vertical dimension, in the light of “deep” ideas and “high” ideals) of human life, represents an area for the development of our potential. The paper outlines this understanding of spirituality, and explores in particular its connection with sport and education.

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Published

2013-08-23

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Jiràsek, I. (2013). Verticality as Non-Religious Spirituality. Implicit Religion, 16(2), 191-201. https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.v16i2.191