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Essay: William James on Religion & Universe's Spirituality

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  • Published: 25 February 2023*
  • Last Modified: 22 July 2024
  • File format: Text
  • Words: 784 (approx)
  • Number of pages: 4 (approx)

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In "Lecture XX, Conclusions", William James analyzes universe's spirituality and nature of this universe. He emphasizes importance of religion and god in a human's life. James states that "visible world is part of more spiritual universe from which it draws its chief significance." Author states that human and religion's interaction makes this universe spiritual.  Being spiritual is part of being connected to a religion. According to author, religion can be used to achieve personal destiny that is part of human's eternal history. Author describes religion as a major factor in our universe because it is important in history of humankind and motivates humans to change their lives. James states that there is no one right religion, humans tend to follow or belief the one that makes most sense to them. God can be identified as the one that created this universe.

According to James, Universe is spiritual result of a spiritual being which is god. God is not this divine entity who is there to answer human questions, the one to pray for or the one that can save the day with his miracles. Author describes god as a "God of universal law." He states that god "cannot accommodate his processes to the convenience of individuals", meaning that god is not in charge of current universal activities or interferes in human lives instead god has set specific rules for his creation and is part of universal laws. God does not control human lives or interferes in daily activities, he set certain rules for humans to follow and it's up to them to follow it. God has allowed his universal creations to be part of physical laws of this universe and is not in charge of current change in it.

God has given humans opportunity of free will. Each human is unique and different. They have distinct nature and own sets of different beliefs. According to author, it's impossible to describe human nature in one word and states that human nature is a combination of different personalities and beliefs of each human. James argues "each attitude" of a human being is a part of "human nature's total message. It takes the whole of us to spell the meaning out completely." James is stating that human nature cannot be described in a single adjective instead it's a collection of different and unique personalities and beliefs of each human. Humans might be similar, but no one is exactly the same as the other person. "Each, from his peculiar angle of observation, takes in a certain sphere of fact and trouble, which each must deal with in a unique manner." Humans are unique in their own sets of beliefs and personalities which causes them to perform different actions they want. A human "must soften himself, another must harden himself; one must yield a point, another must stand firm." Author is emphasizing that certain human use certain tactics to deal with different situations. Some people are strong willed and can face the crisis they are dealing, while some may choose to escape it all along, these situations shape a human beings personality and makes them different from each other. According to author, since each human has different beliefs and their own sets of values, each has different route of destiny to achieve their happiness.

James argues that finding out our destiny can help a human being achieve their happiness. Humans are comprised of having "individual destinies" and they can "become profound" once they find out what their destiny is. Humans need to be able to identify their own unique destiny to achieve their happiness in this world. "The pivot round which the religious life, as we have traced it, revolves, is the interest of the individual in his private personal destiny". James states that humans can find "profound happiness" through achieving and identifying their unique destinies. Since each human has their own different personalities and feeling, "individuality is founded in feeling", a human's own sense of individuality can help them achieve this true of feeling of happiness. One of most important part of human life is going through different events and emotions that help them change and grow up and more the one grows, the easier it is for that person to achieve happiness.

In conclusion, William James states that although god exists, universe is controlled by physical laws and it is spiritual. He describes that it is not possible to assign certain adjective to human nature since each human is comprised of his or her own beliefs and values. Furthermore, he states that path of identifying one's destiny in life can help him or her achieve happiness.

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