The universe is large and we are tiny, without the need for further religious superstructure. One can have so-called spiritual moments without belief in the spirit.

De Botton is articulating a secular account of awe and humility: the sheer scale of the cosmos can generate reverence, perspective, and moral recalibration without requiring doctrinal beliefs. The phrase “religious superstructure” suggests that institutional theology and metaphysics are optional add-ons to experiences that are psychologically real—wonder, gratitude, self-transcendence, and a sense of belonging to something larger. By distinguishing “spiritual moments” from “belief in the spirit,” he reframes spirituality as a mode of attention and feeling rather than a commitment to supernatural entities. The implication is that modern nonbelievers can legitimately seek and cultivate these experiences—through nature, art, music, or contemplation—without intellectual inconsistency.