Examining the Paradox of Transcendence as an Exaltation of Human Nature in the Thought of Anton LaVey

Document Type : Scientific-research

Author

Department of Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Ahlul Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This article examines Anton LaVey’s conception of existential transcendence, a view grounded in the reinterpretation of spirituality through human nature, natural desires, and worldly pleasures. The central question is whether such an account of transcendence, framed as the glorification of human nature, results in a paradox. Employing an analytical–critical method, the study evaluates the validity of this perspective and advances the hypothesis that LaVey’s reading of transcendence is constructed within the framework of human–demonic unity. The findings suggest that reducing transcendence to hedonism and attempting to systematize it within a quasi-religious structure produces a fundamental contradiction. On the theoretical level, the failure to distinguish between pleasure and suffering, or between immediate and enduring satisfaction, generates epistemological deficiencies and undermines the assessment of moral and social implications. On the experiential level, the neglect of rational, emotional, and metaphysical dimensions renders the account incomplete. The article concludes that LaVey’s approach, despite its claim to celebrate human nature, ultimately lacks the capacity to provide an adequate explanation of existential transcendence.

Keywords

References

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The Mirror of Knowledge
Volume 25, Issue 3 - Serial Number 84
September 2025
Pages 105-122

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