Historical dimension of spirituality

Abstract

The article considers the problem of revealing the general historic level of development of spirituality in order to determine its universal philosophical meaning, to comprehend its role in the fate of civilization. The author highlights psychological, psychology and pedagogical, psychological-social, social-psychological and axiological levels of analysis and applications of spirituality, which are used by modern researchers. In order to reveal and analyze the most general level of analysis – social level, the author applies dialectical approach, considers it in the historical movement, i. e. considers it as a historical notion. The application of the eco-anthropological approach makes it possible to distinguish the main historical types of civilizational activity of mankind – the usage, subjugation and spiritualization of nature, and the corresponding historical types of civilization: cosmogenic, technogenic and anthropogenic. The ideas of S. Frank, Е. Fromm, N. Hartmann, S. P. Stumpff and models of spiritual-historical development of Georg Hegel, M. Berdyaev, A. Toffler are analyzed. In search of methodology of scientific research, the author identified certain shortcomings of generally accepted ideological approaches: in materialism, subjective and objective idealism, it is determined, that a certain role of the integrative approach can be carried out by appealing to the category of «civilization», which combines material and spiritual and cultural components, is the basis for identifying the eco-anthropological approach. The category of civilization can be the basis for the formation of an eco-anthropological approach to the analysis of the spiritual development of mankind, where it can be considered as a way of applying the mind to determine the origin of the relation to nature and the use of its resources. The author identifies three ways of relating to nature: submission to nature, subjugation and spiritualization, or terraformation, the corresponding terms are used – cosmogenic, technogenic and anthropogenic civilization, which are defined in modern literature, and indicates the connection of these types of civilizational structure with the corresponding types of spiritual structure – catharsis, innovative and intellectual and moral spirituality. The historical task of each type of spirituality in relation to man is revealed: the creation of the human in man, the development and improvement of man, the realization by man of his own mission or vocation of man in the Universe. Intellectual and moral spirituality has a primary task: to harmonize civilizational development at the turn of the millennium, all components of the anthropo-info-techno-ecosphere, to ensure the creation of a true technotronic society, transformation to a planetary-cosmic one in the most threatening time of humanity’s existence. The problem of determining the nature of the historical development of spirituality, the means of transformation to its new type, is being solved. The author concludes that the new form does not abolish the old one at all, rather it is born on its basis, but determines new priorities for existence and strategies for the development of a new civilization. The development of new types of spirituality is becoming coherent with the development of material formations of the Universe, forms of matter movement (physical, chemical, biological, social), which is a further step in the development of the theory of Global Evolutionism. In order to overcome the current civilizational crisis and ensure the transformation of civilization to the planetary and space level, the author believes that it is necessary to ensure the priority development of technology taking into account environmental problems, the use of information technology as a simulation model of biosphere processes and habitat management. The further development of intellectual and moral spirituality has the task of fully utilizing the potential resources of the technotronic society, where the development of a model of human intelligence will be realized that will allow for effective interaction with artificial intelligence, and the use of energy and space resources for further civilizational development.