Noological sociology, understanding the spiritual powers of people

• Author: Madalina Mandita
• Position: Ph.D., The Institute of Sociology, Romanian Academy
• Pages: 75-84

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014

NOOLOGICAL SOCIOLOGY,

UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRITUAL

POWERS OF PEOPLE

Mădălina MĂNDIŢĂ1

Abstract: Noological sociology cannot ignore the crucial contributions of

psychology and we refer to those of C. G. Jung and V. Frankl. The two

remarkable psychologists consider the spiritual dimension of the human

being as one of the most important aspect in the understanding of man. The

discovery of the colective unconscious and archetypes by Jung demonstrates

the importance of spiritual experience that be comes the source and meaning

of life. In his studies, Viktor Frankl shows that the modern man ca n lose the

meaning in life and can be a victim of fatalism and fanatism living in an

existential frustration. Those types of neurosis are very important for the

noological sociology that warns about the problems in any so ciety that

ignores the spiritual dimension of social life i n a demanding global world.

Key words: noological sociology, psychology of depths, psy chology of

hights, colective unconscious, archetypes, meaning.

1 Ph.D., The Institute of Sociology, Romanian Academy.

1. Introduction

Either we refer to archetypes, spiritual

potentialities or the powerful forces of the

will to meaning we must say that the study

of man and society cannot ignore the

category of spiritual powers, the noological

dimension of human life. Any research that

ignores or diminishes the importance of

this force of cultural modeling would only

simplify the complexity of human nature

and society. For this reason, it is important

to research the spiritual dimension of

societies, an attempt made by noological

sociology in studying the fundamental

experiences in a society, but having in

mind the contributions made on a

psychological level by C. G. Jung and V.

Frankl. We begin this study with some key

elements of noological sociology and in

the last section of this study we analyse the

basic psychological concepts a nd theories

useful for this new type of understanding

the society.

Before analyzing the noological theory

of Ilie Badescu, we will also refer to

Lucian Blaga’s studies about unconscious.

The Romanian philosopher identifies

creative forces that help form the stylistic

matrix. These creative forces that can be

found in the spiritual unconscious of

people can be decisive elements in

understanding the spiri tual history of

people, all this elements being named by

L. Blaga as “abyssal noology” [2, p.14].

Through this paradig m, the Romanian

philosopher speaks about the unconscious

spirit that shapes the stylistic matrix.