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| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 2010-03-16 The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature: Being the Gifford Lecture on Natural Religion Delivered at Edinburgh in 1901-1902 by William James, LL.D., Etc. CONTENTS: Religion and Neurology--Circumscription of the Topic--The Reality of the Unseen--The Religion of Healthy-mindedness--The Sick Soul--The Divided Self, and the Process of its Unification--Conversion--Saintliness--The Value of Saintliness--Mysticism--Philosophy--Other Characteristics--Conclusions--Postscript--Index. Reproduction of 1902 Edition. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 1920 |
| william james mysticism: Exploring Unseen Worlds G. William Barnard, 1997-03-06 Demonstrates convincingly the extent to which James's psychological and philosophical perspectives also continue to be a rich resource for those specifically interested in the study of mysticism. A critically-sophisticated, yet gripping, immersion into the inner worlds of one of America's foremost thinkers. |
| william james mysticism: William James and The Varieties of Religious Experience Jeremy Carrette, 2004-11-05 William James's The Varieties of Religious Experience was an intellectual landmark, paving the way for current study of psychology, philosophy and religious studies. In this new companion to the Varieties, key international experts provide contemporary responses to James's book, exploring its seminal historical importance and its modern significance. Locating the Varieties within the context of James's other works and exploring James's views on psychology, mysticism, religious experience, emotion and truth, the sixteen articles offer new analyses of the Varieties from the perspectives of postcolonial theory, history, social theory and philosophy. As the only critical work dedicated to the cross-disciplinary influence of The Varieties of Religious Experience, this book testifies to William James's genius and ongoing legacy. |
| william james mysticism: Exploring Unseen Worlds G. William Barnard, 1997-03-06 Exploring Unseen Worlds is a critically sophisticated, yet gripping immersion into the inner worlds of one of America's foremost thinkers. It demonstrates convincingly the extent to which James's psychological and philosophical perspectives continue to be a rich resource for those specifically interested in the study of mysticism. The book focuses on James's enduring fascination with mysticism and not only unearths James's lesser-known works on mysticism, but also probes into the tacit mystical dimensions of James's personal life and uncovers the mystical implications of his decades long interest in psychical research. |
| william james mysticism: American Mysticism From William James to Zen. HAL BARIDGES, 1970 |
| william james mysticism: The Philosophy of William James Richard M. Gale, 2005 This is an accessible introduction to the full range of the philosophy of William James. It portrays that philosophy as containing a deep division between a Promethean type of pragmatism and a passive mysticism. The pragmatist James conceives of truth and meaning as a means to control nature and make it do our bidding. The mystic James eschews the use of concepts in order to penetrate to the inner conscious core of all being, including nature at large. Richard Gale attempts to harmonize these pragmatic and mystical perspectives. |
| william james mysticism: William James Robert D. Richardson, 2006 Prize-winning biographer Richardson has written the definitive work on the fascinating William James, whose life and writing put an indelible stamp on psychology, philosophy, teaching, and religion--and on modernism itself. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 1982-12-16 Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Varieties of Religious Experience is certainly the most notable of all books in the field of the psychology of religion and probably destined to be the most influential [one] written on religion in the twentieth century, said Walter Houston Clark in Psychology Today. The book was an immediate bestseller upon its publication in June 1902. Reflecting the pluralistic views of psychologist-turned-philosopher William James, it posits that individual religious experiences, rather than the tenets of organized religions, form the backbone of religious life. James's discussion of conversion, repentance, mysticism, and hope of reward and fears of punishment in the hereafter--as well as his observations on the religious experiences of such diverse thinkers as Voltaire, Whitman, Emerson, Luther, Tolstoy, and others--all support his thesis. James's characteristic humor, his ability to put down the pretentious and to be unpretentious, and his willingness to take some risks in his choices of ancedotal data or provocative theories are all apparent in the book, noted Professor Martin E. Marty. A reader will come away with more reasons to raise new questions than to feel that old ones have been resolved. |
| william james mysticism: Rational Mysticism John Horgan, 2004-03-22 The author of The End of Science chronicles the most advanced research into such experiences as prayer, fasting, and trances in this “great read” (The Washington Post). How do trances, visions, prayer, satori, and other mystical experiences “work”? What induces and defines them? Is there a scientific explanation for religious mysteries and transcendent meditation? John Horgan investigates a wide range of fields—chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, theology, and more—to narrow the gap between reason and mystical phenomena. As both a seeker and an award-winning journalist, Horgan consulted a wide range of experts, including theologian Huston Smith, spiritual heir to Joseph Campbell; Andrew Newberg, the scientist whose quest for the “God module” was the focus of a Newsweek cover story; Ken Wilber, prominent transpersonal psychologist; Alexander Shulgin, legendary psychedelic drug chemist; and Susan Blackmore, Oxford-educated psychologist, parapsychology debunker, and Zen practitioner. Horgan explores the striking similarities between “mystical technologies” like sensory deprivation, prayer, fasting, trance, dancing, meditation, and drug trips. He participates in experiments that seek the neurological underpinnings of mystical experiences. And, finally, he recounts his own search for enlightenment—adventurous, poignant, and sometimes surprisingly comic. Horgan’s conclusions resonate with the controversial climax of The End of Science, because, as he argues, the most enlightened mystics and the most enlightened scientists end up in the same place—confronting the imponderable depth of the universe. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, |
| william james mysticism: Sacred Knowledge William A. Richards, 2015-12-08 Sacred Knowledge is the first well-documented, sophisticated account of the effect of psychedelics on biological processes, human consciousness, and revelatory religious experiences. Based on nearly three decades of legal research with volunteers, William A. Richards argues that, if used responsibly and legally, psychedelics have the potential to assuage suffering and constructively affect the quality of human life. Richards's analysis contributes to social and political debates over the responsible integration of psychedelic substances into modern society. His book serves as an invaluable resource for readers who, whether spontaneously or with the facilitation of psychedelics, have encountered meaningful, inspiring, or even disturbing states of consciousness and seek clarity about their experiences. Testing the limits of language and conceptual frameworks, Richards makes the most of experiential phenomena that stretch our understanding of reality, advancing new frontiers in the study of belief, spiritual awakening, psychiatric treatment, and social well-being. His findings enrich humanities and scientific scholarship, expanding work in philosophy, anthropology, theology, and religious studies and bringing depth to research in mental health, psychotherapy, and psychopharmacology. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 1902 |
| william james mysticism: The Mysticism of Saint Augustine John Peter Kenney, 2005-09-19 Augustine's vision at Ostia is one of the most influential accounts of mystical experience in the Western tradition, and a subject of persistent interest to Christians, philosophers and historians. This book explores Augustine's account of his experience as set down in the Confessions and considers his mysticism in relation to his classical Platonist philosophy. John Peter Kenney argues that while the Christian contemplative mysticism created by Augustine is in many ways founded on Platonic thought, Platonism ultimately fails Augustine in that it cannot retain the truths that it anticipates. The Confessions offer a response to this impasse by generating two critical ideas in medieval and modern religious thought: firstly, the conception of contemplation as a purely epistemic event, in contrast to classical Platonism; secondly, the tenet that salvation is absolutely distinct from enlightenment. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 2012-06-14 Drawing on psychology, philosophy, and literature, William James's classic survey of religious belief gathers testimony from a huge range of diverse sources to construct a defence of the individual religious experience. It speaks powerfully to the modern debate on atheism and faith, in the most critically up-to-date edition available. |
| william james mysticism: Some Problems of Philosophy William James, 1916 |
| william james mysticism: The Illusion of Will, Self, and Time Jonathan Bricklin, 2015-06-01 A Seminary Co-op Notable Book of 2016 William James is often considered a scientist compromised by his advocacy of mysticism and parapsychology. Jonathan Bricklin argues James can also be viewed as a mystic compromised by his commitment to common sense. James wanted to believe in will, self, and time, but his deepest insights suggested otherwise. Is consciousness already there waiting to be uncovered and is it a veridical revelation of reality? James asked shortly before his death in 1910. A century after his death, research from neuroscience, physics, psychology, and parapsychology is making the case, both theoretically and experimentally, that answers James's question in the affirmative. By separating what James passionately wanted to believe, based on common sense, from what his insights and researches led him to believe, Bricklin shows how James himself laid the groundwork for this more challenging view of existence. The non-reality of will, self, and time is consistent with James's psychology of volition, his epistemology of self, and his belief that Newtonian, objective, even-flowing time does not exist. |
| william james mysticism: Songs of Innocence William Blake, 1789 |
| william james mysticism: Is Life Worth Living? William James, 2022-05-29 Is Life Worth Living? is a philosophical rumination by essayist William James. Whether life is worth living or not is a constant red thread question in this book, while reasons for not committing suicide are also pondered. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience (Unabridged) William James, 2017-06-21 The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature is a book by the Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James comprising 20 lectures given at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. These lectures concerned the nature of religion and the neglect of science, in James' view, in the academic study of religion. Soon after its publication, the book found its way into the canon of psychology and philosophy, and has remained in print for over a century. James was most interested in direct religious experiences. Theology and the organizational aspects of religion were of secondary interest. He believed that religious experiences were simply human experiences: Religious happiness is happiness. Religious trance is trance. He believed that religious experiences can have morbid origins in brain pathology and can be irrational but nevertheless are largely positive. Get Your Copy Now. |
| william james mysticism: William James and The Varieties of Religious Experience Jeremy Carrette, 2004-11-05 This new companion to William James The Varieties of Religious Experience offers contemporary responses to James's seminal book from key international experts. |
| william james mysticism: Platonic Mysticism Arthur Versluis, 2017-08-16 Restores the Platonic history and context of mysticism and shows how it helps us understand more deeply the humanities as a whole, from philosophy and literature to art. In Platonic Mysticism, Arthur Versluisclearly and tautly argues that mysticism must be properly understood as belonging to the great tradition of Platonism. He demonstrates how mysticism was historically understood in Western philosophical and religious traditions and emphatically rejects externalist approaches to esoteric religion. Instead he develops a new theoretical-critical model for understanding mystical literature and the humanities as a whole, from philosophy and literature to art. A sequel to his Restoring Paradise, this is an audacious book that places Platonic mysticism in the context of contemporary cognitive and other approaches to the study of religion, and presents an emerging model for the new field of contemplative science. An important work on the mystical experience delving deep into its history, particularly from the Platonic perspective. An essential text for anyone interested in mysticism and its relationship to philosophy and creative expression. Andrew Newberg, author of How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain: The New Science of Transformation The present work, the latest from the pen of Arthur Versluis, provides a trenchant, learned, and illuminating analysis of the origins of Western mysticism in the Platonist tradition, relayed through such figures as Plotinus and Dionysius the Areopagite, down through Meister Eckhart and others, while suitably excoriating the attempts of certain modern philosophers and sociologists of religion to deconstruct it from a materialist perspective. I found it a rattling good read! John Dillon, author of The Heirs of Plato: A Study of the Old Academy (347274 BC) |
| william james mysticism: Depth Psychology and Mysticism Thomas Cattoi, David M. Odorisio, 2018-05-16 Since the late 19th century, when the “new science” of psychology and interest in esoteric and occult phenomena converged – leading to the “discovery” of the unconscious – the dual disciplines of depth psychology and mysticism have been wed in an often unholy union. Continuing in this tradition, and the challenges it carries, this volume includes a variety of inter-disciplinary approaches to the study of depth psychology, mysticism, and mystical experience, spanning the fields of theology, religious studies, and the psychology of religion. Chapters include inquiries into the nature of self and consciousness, questions regarding the status and limits of mysticism and mystical phenomenon, and approaches to these topics from multiple depth psychological traditions. |
| william james mysticism: Ghost Hunters Deborah Blum, 2007-05-29 The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Poision Squad and The Poisoner's Handbook tells the amazing story of William James's quest for empirical evidence of the spirit world What if a world-renowned philosopher and professor of psychiatry at Harvard suddenly announced he believed in ghosts? At the close of the nineteenth century, the illustrious William James led a determined scientific investigation into unexplainable incidences of clairvoyance and ghostly visitations. James and a small group of eminent scientists staked their reputations, their careers, even their sanity on one of the most extraordinary quests ever undertaken: to empirically prove the existence of ghosts, spirits, and psychic phenomena. What they pursued—and what they found—raises questions as fascinating today as they were then. |
| william james mysticism: The Heart of William James William James, 2010-08-31 A selection of seventeen essays from the writings of pioneering American psychologist/philosopher William James that provide insight into his thinking on emotion, war, habit, determinism, religion, and other topics. |
| william james mysticism: Pragmatism and Other Writings William James, 2000-04-01 The writings of William James represent one of America's most original contributions to the history of ideas. Ranging from philosophy and psychology to religion and politics, James composed the most engaging formulation of American pragmatism. 'Pragmatism' grew out of a set of lectures and the full text is included here along with 'The Meaning of Truth', 'Psychology', 'The Will to Believe', and 'Talks to Teachers on Psychology'. |
| william james mysticism: Teachings of the Mystics Walter T. Stace, 1972-12-01 |
| william james mysticism: A Pluralistic Universe William James, 1909 |
| william james mysticism: The 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time Robert McCrum, 2018 Beginning in 1611 with the King James Bible and ending in 2014 with Elizabeth Kolbert's 'The Sixth Extinction', this extraordinary voyage through the written treasures of our culture examines universally-acclaimed classics such as Pepys' 'Diaries', Charles Darwin's 'The Origin of Species', Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time' and a whole host of additional works -- |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 1969* William James' series of lectures on religion as it is is apprehended by, and affect, the individual. |
| william james mysticism: William James and C.G. Jung Steven Herrmann, 2021-04-25 This book is an important contribution to the history of psychology in America and the influence of William James on C. G. Jung, as well as a fascinating exploration of what it means to be fully human.Steven Herrmann offers each reader an intriguing journey through the open and curious exploration of human nature by two of the most influential psychologists of the modern era: the philosopher William James, Harvard Professor and founder of American Psychology, and C.G. Jung, who expanded our view of psyche and the nature of the unconscious. Based on historical research and a nuanced reading of their works, Steven Herrmann elucidates their reflections on the streams of consciousness, psychophysics, pragmatism, pluralism, yoga, spiritual democracy, vocational dreams, synchronicity, transmarginal fields, and the Self. Doorways to the Self is not a mere metaphor but an invitation to recognize the living spiritual reality that exists in every person. |
| william james mysticism: The Gospel of Relaxation (Annotated) William James, 2020-03-21 Before concluding that the Good News brings the good life (The really religious person is... unshakable and full of equanimity, and calmly ready for any duty that the day may bring forth), William James -- in his classic self-help treatise -- begins with principles of psychology and with tips for improving the mind-body connection. The American bottled-lightning approach to life from his day (prefiguring our own overly busy lives now, a century later) finds a cure through various means, from athletics to religion. James points to the ultimate means of testing the route to a quiet demeanor: the sovereign cure for worry is religious faith. The multifaceted and sometimes paradoxical advice is still valid today in the search for inner peace. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James(Annotated) William james, 2021-08-13 Standing at the crossroads of psychology and religion, this catalyzing work applied the scientific method to a field abounding in abstract theory. William James believed that individual religious experiences, rather than the precepts of organized religions, were the backbone of the world's religious life. His discussions of conversion, repentance, mysticism and saintliness, and his observations on actual, personal religious experiences - all support this thesis. In his introduction, Martin E. Marty discusses how James's pluralistic view of religion led to his remarkable tolerance of extreme forms of religious behaviour, his challenging, highly original theories, and his welcome lack of pretension in all of his observations on the individual and the divine. |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James William james, 2021-05-23 Standing at the crossroads of psychology and religion, this catalyzing work applied the scientific method to a field abounding in abstract theory. William James believed that individual religious experiences, rather than the precepts of organized religions, were the backbone of the world's religious life. His discussions of conversion, repentance, mysticism and saintliness, and his observations on actual, personal religious experiences - all support this thesis. In his introduction, Martin E. Marty discusses how James's pluralistic view of religion led to his remarkable tolerance of extreme forms of religious behaviour, his challenging, highly original theories, and his welcome lack of pretension in all of his observations on the individual and the divine. |
| william james mysticism: The Mysticism of William James Laura Ivers, 2017-03-31 |
| william james mysticism: The Varieties of Religious Experience William James William James, 2017-01-27 These lectures concerning the nature of religion were delivered at the University of Edinburgh between 1901 and 1902. Soon after its publication, the book found its way into the canon of psychology and philosophy, and has remained in print for over a century. |
| william james mysticism: William James - the Varieties of Religious Experience William James, 2016-12-14 These lectures concerning the nature of religion were delivered at the University of Edinburgh between 1901 and 1902. Soon after its publication, the book found its way into the canon of psychology and philosophy, and has remained in print for over a century. |
| william james mysticism: William James's Hidden Religious Imagination Jeremy Carrette, 2013-05-29 This book offers a radical new reading of William James’s work on the idea of ‘religion.’ Moving beyond previous psychological and philosophical interpretations, it uncovers a dynamic, imaginative, and critical use of the category of religion. This work argues that we can only fully understand James’s work on religion by returning to the ground of his metaphysics of relations and by incorporating literary and historical themes. Author Jeremy Carette develops original perspectives on the influence of James’s father and Calvinism, on the place of the body and sex in James, on the significance of George Eliot’s novels, and Herbert Spencer’s ‘unknown,’ revealing a social and political discourse of civil religion and republicanism and a poetic imagination at the heart of James understanding of religion. These diverse themes are brought together through a post-structural sensitivity and a recovery of the importance of the French philosopher Charles Renouvier to James’s work. This study pushes new boundaries in Jamesian scholarship by reading James with pluralism and from the French tradition. It will be a benchmark text in the reshaping of James and the nineteenth-century foundations of the modern study of ‘religion.’ |
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