Religious Experience
5 Topics
Investigate mystical experiences, visions, and encounters claimed to provide evidence of the divine through the pioneering work of William James and other philosophers of religious experience.
Topic 1 of 5
Mystical Experiences
Explore William James' four characteristics of mystical experience: ineffable, noetic, transient, and passive
Topic 2 of 5
Conversion Experiences
Understand volitional and self-surrender conversion through James' analysis and famous examples like St. Paul and John Wesley
Topic 3 of 5
William James' View
Discover James' three pillars: empiricism, pluralism, and pragmatism—judge by fruits not roots
Topic 4 of 5
Psychological Explanations
Examine Freud's neurosis theory, Jung's archetypes, and Persinger's God Helmet—naturalistic explanations for religious experience
Topic 5 of 5
Physiological Explanations
Investigate hallucinogenic drugs, fasting, sleep deprivation, epilepsy, and near-death experiences as physical causes of mystical states
Sources and Further Reading
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