Transcendence as a fundamental human need?

Digging into the Human Scale Development Theory

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2025.32.20365

Keywords:

Transcendence, Human Scale Development, Fundamental Needs, Manfred Max-Neef

Abstract

This paper aims to explore transcendence as another fundamental human need within the framework of Max-Neef's Theory of Human Scale Development (THSD). While Max-Neef and other Latin American researchers, such as Carlos Mallman, have discussed various aspects of human needs, the explicit inclusion of transcendence as a fundamental human need in the framework HSD remains unresolved. However, Max-Neef's work provides foundations for reflecting on and potentially integrating transcendence into his original matrix of fundamental human needs. Given the current socioecological crises and global disasters such as wars, migrations and pandemic, there is an urgent necessity to reconsider our relationship with the planet and all forms of life on it. Transcendence, whether understood as transcending the ego or reconnecting with nature and life in its deepest sense, it is increasingly recognized both within and outside academia as a crucial dimension of the human experience. To support the argument for transcendence as a human need, this paper draws on insights coming from THSD, cognitive science, indigenous cosmologies, spirituality, and (eco)philosophy. Methodologically, the study employs a conceptual analysis with a hermeneutic approach to elucidate the nuanced understanding of transcendence in order to consider it as a universal human need.

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Author Biographies

  • Iñaki Ceberio de León, National University of Chilecito

    Iñaki Ceberio de León is a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of the Basque Country (Spain). He subsequently held a two-year postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Manfred Max-Neef at the Center for Environmental Studies of the Universidad Austral de Chile. After his post-doctoral stay he worked as a researcher at the Universidad Austral de Chile. He is currently a research professor at the Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (La Rioja-Argentina), founding partner of the Manfred Max-Neef Foundation, associate researcher at the Center for Environmental Studies of the Universidad Austral de Chile where he also teaches a course in the Master's Degree in Human Development and Ecological Ecology. He is also a member of the Ibero-American Research Network in Law and Social Disciplines.

  • Clara Olmedo, National University of Chilecito

    Clara Olmedo es doctora en Sociología por The State University of New York at Binghanton. Actualmente se desempeña como docente – investigador de la Universidad Nacional de Chilecito en las carreras de abogacía, educación, enología y comunicación. Sus líneas de investigación están relacionadas a los estudios de género, trabajo y medioambiente; epistemología y metodología de la investigación en Ciencias Sociales. Investigación en las áreas de medioambiente y trabajo, utilizando el enfoque cualitativo de investigación y técnicas relacionadas a la etnografía. También es miembro de la Red Iberoamericana de Investigación en Derecho y Disciplinas Sociales.

  • Carlos Alberto Cioe Sampaio, Universidade Regional de Blumenau

    Administrator (PUCSP), master’s and PhD in organizational planning and management for sustainable development (UFSC) with a sandwich internship in Social Economy (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales - EHESS, France). Postdoctorate/Visiting Professor in Ecosocioeconomics (UACH, Chile, CAPES scholarship), Corporate Cooperativism (Universidad Mondragón, Spain, Carolina Foundation scholarship), and Environmental Sciences (Washington State University - WSU, USA, Fulbright Foundation/CAPES scholarship). Productivity Researcher/CNPq, National Foundation for the Development of Private Higher Education (Funadesp), and Ânima Institute (IA). Professor of the Graduate Programs (PPG) in Regional Development (FURB) and Civil Engineering (USJT). CNPq Researcher.

  • Juan Carlos Skwes, Alberto Hurtado University
    Anthropologist (University of Chile), PhD in Anthropology (University of Minnesota). Full Professor at Universidad Alberto Hurtado. National Anthropology Award (2023). Research focus: Anthropology of life, encompassing heritage, identity, interspecies relationships, and landscape dimensions. He is an associate researcher at the Center for Environmental Studies at the Universidad Austral de Chile and a member of the Anthropology and Archaeology Studies Group of Fondecyt (Ministry of Science). His latest publications include the books The Regeneration of Life in the Times of Capitalism (Ocho Libros, 2019) and The Cultural Landscape of Pisco and Its Mestizo Heritage (co-authored with P. Lacoste, Ariadna 2024), as well as the articles Do You Know Route Q 699? The Arrhythmia of the State: The Buried Life of Roads in Pewenche Territory (2024, Antropologías Del Sur) and An Unlikely Form of Violence: Conservation and Conflict in the Chilean Mountains (2024, Scottish Geographical Journal). ANILLO Mestizo Heritage ATE 220008: Mestizo cultural heritage and appreciation of local culture. Forgotten Lessons from the Cold War.
  • Liliane Cristine Schlemer Alcântara, Federal University of Mato Grosso

    Professor at the School of Administration and Accounting (FACC) and permanent professor in the Graduate Program in Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer for Innovation (PROFNIT) at the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT). Permanent professor in the Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences (PPGCA) at the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT). PhD in Regional Development from the Regional University of Blumenau - PPGDR/FURB. Sandwich PhD at the Institute of Cooperative Studies of Mondragón Unibertsitatea (MU). Postdoctoral fellow in the Graduate Program in Urban Management - PPGTU/PUCPR. Postdoctoral research at the Right Livelihood College (RLC) and at the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences (UACH/Chile); postdoctoral research at the Graduate Program in Regional Development (PPGDR) of the Regional University of Blumenau (FURB/SC). Coordinator of the Research Group: Alternatives to Development, Innovation, and Sustainability (GPADIS); Member of the Research Groups: Environmental Analysis and Ecodevelopment (FURB/SC); Research Center on Cultural Diversity and Regional Studies (CEDICER/University of Costa Rica); Center for Eco-Socioeconomics (NEcos) at UFPR/PR; Research Group on the Social Impact of Graduate Programs (NUPIS/UNIFESP); and the Global South Network (UNISUAM). Founding member of the Manfred Max-Neef Foundation, Chile.

  • Luciano Felix Florit, Universidade Regional de Blumenau

    PhD in Sociology (UFRGS, 2003), Master's in Political Sociology (UFSC, 1998), and Bachelor's in Sociology (University of Buenos Aires, 1995). During his doctoral studies, he completed a research internship at the University of Nottingham (2001). He concluded a postdoctoral fellowship in Social Anthropology at UFMG (2017). He is a permanent professor in the Graduate Program in Regional Development at the Regional University of Blumenau (FURB), working in the fields of Development Sociology, Environmental Sociology, Political Ecology, and Socioenvironmental Ethics. He leads the Interdisciplinary Socioenvironmental Research Group (Grupo IPÊS), composed of researchers and students from various disciplines, with an emphasis on the Human Sciences. He coordinated the project “Traditional Peoples in Santa Catarina: Territory, Environmental Conflicts, and Socioenvironmental Ethics,” funded by CNPq and FAPESC.

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Prometeica v.32

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2025-11-10

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Vol. 32 (2025): Prometeica - v 32 (03/2025 - 12/2025)

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Copyright (c) 2025 Iñaki Ceberio de León, Clara Olmedo, Carlos Alberto Cioe Sampaio, Juan Carlos Skewes, Liliane Cristine Schlemer Alcântara, Luciano Felix Florit

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Received 2025-04-05
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How to Cite

Ceberio de León, I., Olmedo, C., Sampaio, C. A. C., Skwes, J. C., Schlemer Alcântara, L. C., & Florit, L. F. (2025). Transcendence as a fundamental human need? Digging into the Human Scale Development Theory. Prometeica - Journal of Philosophy and Science, 32, e20365 (1-18). https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2025.32.20365