Spirituality, belief, and action

Journal/Book: J Mind Behav. 1997; 18: PO Box 522, Village Station, New York, NY 10014. Inst Mind Behavior Inc. 29-51.

Abstract: This article presents an analysis of ''spirituality.'' Ryle said that a belief is nor known to be truly held unless one bases crucial action on it; but the qualifications ''truly'' and ''crucial'' can be stripped away. Spirituality then becomes consistency of actual action with a belief; or in behavior analytic terms, spirituality is ''rule-governed'' behavior. Beliefs can function not only as ''discriminative stimuli'' bur also as ''reinforcing stimuli.'' A belief need not correspond to the world as experienced in order to have these functions. Spirituality, thus far in the analysis, is only rule-governed behavior, regardless of the source of the rule and regardless of the content of the rule except that the rule must specify actually performable behavior so that consistency of the action with the belief can be assessed. The separation of action from belief is a form of alienation in a Marxian sense (which Skinner endorsed); to paraphrase Kant, beliefs without actions are empty and actions without beliefs are blind. That is, a belief that is not acted upon is literally useless, and action that is not based on a belief is literally irrational. Alienation is resolved when action is based on ''right'' motives, which are motives based on a set of principles. Analogously, spirituality is a special kind of rule-governed behavior because the rules (beliefs) that govern this behavior (actions) are part of a coherent system that defines ''rightness.''

Note: Article Reese HW, W Virginia Univ, Dept Psychol, POB 6040, Morgantown,WV 26506 USA

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