The spiritual sphere of society plays an important role in its development. First of all, it is able to shape the values, attitudes, stereotypes and even the worldview of many people, which significantly affects the nature of society: whether it will be pragmatic, cynical, merciful, cruel, in a word, what spiritual directions will reign in it, depends on this areas of social life.
If people see cruel or indifferent behavior as examples, naturally, they will adopt it. This is one of the main functions of religion and trends in art - educational.
What is the spiritual realm
First of all, it should be noted that spirituality is understood by sociology and cultural studies as a unifying principle in society, which is represented by traditions and moral values, reflected in religious teachings and images of art. If we consider it from an individual position, then spirituality is identified with a conscience, which is strengthened through sermons and ideological and educational work.
Thus, the spiritual sphere is those areas in which people, interacting, gain moral values and improve their presentation and attitude to the world. Its most common “representatives” are educational institutions, theaters, philharmonic societies, and religious buildings.
Spiritual sphere: types
This area can be divided into three broad areas that differ among themselves not only in subjects, but also in the methods by which society is enriched with spiritual values and knowledge.
Scientific spiritual sphere. Here, scientific knowledge allows us to determine the laws of the world. This area is characterized by abstract logical forms of concepts, with the help of which information is presented and comprehended.
Science has several important functions:
- cognitive;
- prognostic;
- explanatory;
- worldview.
This area of the spiritual sphere is characterized by systematic and logical; The main criterion that distinguishes it from other areas is objectivity.
Religious spiritual sphere. This form of worldview has evolved over a long period, so it is referred to as historical. Religion can be seen as a bridge between the material and the spiritual: on the one hand, it has a number of principles and traditions, and on the other, characteristic material attributes: symbols, a certain form of buildings, clothing of ministers, etc. When there is no social justice in society, religion harmonizes his. With the help of religion, a social worldview is formed, which is aimed at creation, not destruction: instructions to raise children, to be kind and honest, advice on mutual assistance are characteristic of almost all religions and are useful for any society.
Religion as a social institution performs the following functions:
- compensatory;
- regulatory;
- integrative;
- communicative.
Religions now need more public support than ever: with the development of science, people's faith is lost and the influence of religion on their actions is diminished.
Art as a spiritual sphere. Here, the main way of transmitting meaning are artistic images expressed in verbal or graphic form. Creations are created by professionals - artists, sculptors, writers, and they are able to give the form an aesthetic appearance.
Art performs a number of functions:
- cognitive;
- educational;
- aesthetic.
Art, as part of the spiritual sphere, has a social content: for example, during crisis periods it was dehumanized, and, for example, under a totalitarian regime, the transformation of art into an instrument of politics was observed.
