Concept
Vocation
Overview
A vocation (from Latin vocatio 'a call, summons') is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained, or qualified. Although the term is now often used in non-religious contexts and is related to cultivating motivated, self-directed, and positively engaged individuals within organizations, its meaning originally emerged within Christianity.
A calling is also a vocation; however, it is used in the religious sense. The word refers to a religious vocation (derived from the Latin word for “call”), which may be professional or voluntary and may differ across religions. The source of such a calling may arise from within oneself, from another person for those with less personal insight, or, for those who claim heightened extrasensory perception or experience mixed brain signalling, from a perceived divine messenger.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Vocation is discussed.
At first there were no distinctions of vocation. The pursuits of war and politics were common to all free men; and, while admitting of class distinctions, they allowed no vocational differences. The priesthood alone represented a class which followed a specific vocation, while also engaging in other occupations, particularly in politics. The earliest forms of specialized vocations were foreshadowed even in the…
Wilhelm Max Wundt, Elements of Folk Psychology Outline of a Psychological History of the Development of Mankind
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
So deeply entangled are these philosophic dualisms with the whole subject of vocational education, that it is necessary to define the meaning of vocation with some fullness in order to avoid the impression that an education which centers about it is narrowly practical, if not merely pecuniary. A vocation means nothing but such a direction of life activities as renders them perceptibly significant to a person…
John Dewey, Democracy and Education
states what it is; names the idea; opens on it
By the Condition of a thing we mean first, an existence, in short an immediate, and secondly the vocation of this immediate to be suspended and subserve the actualising of something else.--Immediate actuality is in general as such never what it ought to be; it is a finite actuality with an inherent flaw, and its vocation is to be consumed. But the other aspect of actuality is its essentiality. This is primarily the…
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, The Logic of Hegel
states what it is; names the idea
The laboratories for the study of the elements of science play a most important part in this work. In them the child learns to understand the foundations of modern industry, and so comes to his environment as a whole. Without this comprehensive vision no true vocational training can be successful, for it is only as he sees the place of different kinds of work and their relation to each other that the youth can truly…
John Dewey, Schools of to-morrow
states what it is; names the idea
It is a large and noble field, amply sufficient to absorb men who have a real vocation for it. Accordingly, in the great artist of former times we see comparatively few traces of this extravagant ambition.
Auguste Comte, A General View of Positivism Or, Summary exposition of the System of Thought and Life
names the idea; opens on it
Philosophers who discussed Vocation
Related ideas
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- Gospel
- Thomas Carlyle
- Contemplation
- Insight
- John Calvin
- Wealth
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Max Weber
- Methodism
- Politics
- Lutheranism
- Predestination
- Pope John Paul II
- Puritans
- Paul the Apostle
- Religion
- Protestantism
- Hermit
- Secularity
- Business
- Clergy
- God
- Christianity
Place in the tradition
Part of History of philosophy in Poland.