Rationality and Mysticism. Thomas Metzinger on Secular Spirituality

Abstract

This paper analyses Thomas Metzinger’s notion of spirituality as part of his broader concept of a culture of consciousness. I first demonstrate that Metzinger’s spirituality is rooted in certain non-dual, egoless states of consciousness that closely resemble mystical experiences. Then, I discuss Metzinger’s claim that spirituality consists of intellectual honesty, understood as an attitude that recognizes the intrinsic value of rationality. Next, I address two additional questions: First, what exactly is spiritual about Metzinger’s notion of spirituality? Second, are spirituality and religion truly opposites? Regarding the first question, I show, through a comparison with Ronald Dworkin, that spirituality functions as a foundation for epistemic and moral value judgments. Regarding the second question, I argue that Metzinger’s stark opposition between religion and spirituality is untenable when considering an alternative definition of “religion” drawn from William James.