Transcendence as a fundamental human need? Digging into the Human Scale Development Theory

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.