Abstract

After a historical introduction of the concept, the author proposes to define "spirit" as the intentional togetherness of beings who are for themselves "I" and for others "you," that is, other to each other. A being who is essentially spiritual would thus be one for whom the otherness of others has become a condition of the meaning of existence. To call a being "other" means that it is impermissible to take that being for no more than what is given and hence familiar and possible to possess.