Functional Dimensions
13 dimensions used to score and compare traditions on continuous and categorical scales
Locus of Suffering
This dimension asks a deceptively simple question: when things go wrong — when humans suffer, fail, or fall short — wher…
locus_of_suffering
Temporal Orientation
Where does the ideal state live — behind us, around us, or ahead of us? This dimension measures whether a tradition look…
temporal_orientation
Agency Model
Who does the heavy lifting in the drama of salvation, liberation, or human flourishing? This dimension measures the bala…
agency_model
Knowledge Architecture
How does sacred or essential knowledge flow? Is it locked behind layers of initiation and accessible only to qualified s…
knowledge_architecture
Individual vs Community
What is the fundamental unit of spiritual and moral concern — the individual soul/mind, or the community/tribe/nation? S…
individual_community
Nature Relationship
What is the human position relative to the natural world? This dimension ranges from traditions that view nature as a pr…
nature_relationship
Body/Material Attitude
Does this tradition affirm or deny the goodness of embodied, material existence? At one extreme, the body is a prison an…
body_material_attitude
Theistic Density
How populated is the spiritual landscape? This dimension measures the number and nature of divine beings a tradition pos…
theistic_density
Subsistence Mode
What was the economic base of the society where this tradition formed? This is not about what the tradition teaches but …
subsistence_mode
Religion Centrality
How much of daily life does this framework actually touch? At one extreme, it is a compartmentalized philosophy or world…
religion_centrality
Settlement/Mobility
How settled or mobile was the society where this tradition formed? Fixed urban centers produce temples, libraries, and b…
settlement_mobility
Founder Authority
What kind of founding figure or authority anchors this tradition — and where does that authority come from? Some traditi…
founder_authority
Transmission Mode
How does sacred or essential knowledge actually travel from one generation to the next? Through spoken word, sung chant,…
transmission_mode
Scoring Methodology
Continuous dimensions use a 1-7 Likert scale with defined anchors. Categorical dimensions use controlled vocabularies. All scores require evidence citations and confidence levels. Sign in to view detailed scores and evidence.