S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 7 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 2 1 3 9 Peter Šajda 1 Introduction Mysticism has an ambivalent reputation in philosophy. On the one hand, it is considered as conducive to sentimentalism and irrationalism, and its asceticism is interpreted as an escape from the world. On the other hand, it is valued for its dialectical innovations and interpreted as a form of speculative philosophy. The latter view has often been associated with Meister Eckhart’s mysticism that has, however, also been criticized for interpersonal and ethical unproductivity [1]. In this article, i aim to present the core of Eckhart’s mysticism – the doctrine of detachment – as interpersonally productive and fruitful. i will demonstrate that detachment leads not only to a deeper relation with God and oneself but also to an absolutely inclusive relation with fellow humans. In the first part, i will discuss the basic tenets of Eckhart’s theology and psychology focusing especially on God as the One and on the ground of the soul. In the second part, i will explore Eckhart’s theory of detachment, covering both its theological, psychological and interpersonal aspects. i will also present detachment as a key pillar of Eckhart’s doctrine of love. in the conclusion, i will highlight the central role of detachment in Eckhart’s thought and its interpersonal implications. About the author Doc. Peter Šajda, PhD., is an Associate Professor of philosophy at the Department of Philosophy of the Faculty of Arts, Trnava University, Slovakia. He is also a senior researcher at the Institute of Philosophy at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on anthropological, ethical, religious, and social-political issues. He collaborates with the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center in Copenhagen, where he serves as an editor of the Kierkegaard Studies Yearbook and the Kierkegaard Studies Monograph Series. He authored the monographs Buber’s Polemic with Kierkegaard: On the Relation of Religion to Ethics and Politics (in Slovak, 2013) and The Kierkegaard Renaissance: Philosophy, Religion, Politics (in Slovak, 2016), and edited the anthologies Affectivity, Agency and Intersubjectivity (L’Harmattan, 2012) and Kierkegaard in Context (Mercer University Press, 2019). His email address is filosajd@savba.sk.
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