Religious experience Flashcards
James’ criteria for mystical experience
Passive- feeling not in control
Ineffable- hard to put into words
Noetic-it provided insight/knowledge
Transient-lasted short time
What did James believe about these features?
they were the root of religious experiences
James emphasised the importance of the effects / ‘fruits’ of re
What happened to Theresa of Avila?
experienced physical pain+paralysis for 2 years, recovered a bit, returned to monastery
began to have vivid experiences of God’s love + he revealed himself
dream about angel
transfiguration of heart
mystical experiences are reliable
-use PINT + random German philosopher
-James- are psychological elements but could point to divine
-have similar features(PINT)
-Passive-something external
-Ineffable-unlike normal experiences
-Noetic-show presence of divine, transcendent
-Transient-short time, long impact
-Schleiermacher-more to existence than physical- deep seated divine, sensus divinitatis
-similar across religions and cultures
Mystical experiences aren’t reliable
-could be in the mind-common features because mind reacts in same way
-Passive-unconscious mind deluding conscious self-God helmet
-Ineffability-unreliable
-Change in character can occur from reading a novel
-unconscious, subjective experience can’t be empirically tested
-phase- Starbuck
-mental event-trauma
-placebo
-lies to evangelise
What does James argue about conversions and why
they are the strongest evidence of divine
based on pragmatism-life changing effects
Story of Paul
On his way to Damascus to persecute christians, saw Jesus, converted and became an influential missionary
James’ fruits of conversion
-conviction of something beyond material world
-immense feeling of elation and freedom
-feeling of having met a friendly power and responding by self-surrender
-change in emphasis of life-more spiritual
What does Starbuck suggest about conversion
it is a normal adolescent phenomenon
search for identity and purpose
psychological rather than divine
Conversions are convincing
James
Swinburne
-pragmatism-effects indicate divine interaction
-Theresa of Avila criteria- fit with teachings of church+lead to positive changes in character
-Give most significant observable evidence-‘fruits’
-effects+change in habits indicate something more
-Swinburne’s principle of testimony-trust others
-Swinburne’s principle of credulity-trust yourself
Conversions aren’t convincing
-Starbuck-normal adolescent phenomenon
-Freud-disagree with use of Theresa of A criteria as church is cause of psychological guilt
-Freud-conversions are wishful thinking/hallucinations
-Lasting impacts not unique to re(films)
-Kant-logically impossible to experience god as we are rooted in world of senses
Flew always to a religion someone has grown up with
C.F.Davis- existence of god=important issue-need more than someone else’s word
Religious experiences are evidence for God
-James-pragmatism,empiricism-collected info and compared-best evidence we have
-Religious experience are of an ultimate reality or God, but we speak about them using language from our culture, upbringing etc-not surprising that experiences are expressed in diff ways
C.F.Davis-cumulative argument-with other arguments can prove God
Religious experiences aren’t evidence for God
-senses+observations can deceive- accounts he collected include those who use drugs
-Starbuck-normal adolescent phenomenon
-Diff in interpretation can discredit re- catholics experience Mary, Hindus experience Krishna
-Flew- criticise cumulative argument-1 leaky bucket can’t hold water, no reason 10 can
How did Jung interpret St Paul’s conversion?
an emotional breakdown, perhaps triggered by guilt
What does Feuerbach argue about God?
a psychological construct formed by human desires e.g. desire for control
What does Freud argue about religion?
-it is neurosis rooted in conflict between conscious and unconscious mind
-we construct a father figure due to fear of death+world
-re are forms of regression to safety and comfort of infancy
therefore…
religious experiences are a psychological construct
Psychological effects can explain religious experiences
-Empirical evidence of change in character can be traced to psychological factors- Starbuck-conversion normal part of adolescence- identity
-Perception is rooted in the mind-Feuerbach-God is a human projection
-Inattentional blindness e.g. can see clear road when car is coming- can be sincere in our beliefs but sincerely mistaken
Psychological effects cannot fully explain religious experience
-James’ pragmatism and empiricism-long lasting fruits-more probable is religious
-Hick developed ‘experiencing as’ from Wittgenstein’s ‘seeing as’- we all experience same things but perceive them differently
therefore…
how we describe or react each experience is private and difficult for anyone outside of it to dismiss
-James- there a re psychological elements but doesn’t negate importance on effects on persons life
What do some neuroscientists suggest caused Teresa of Avila’s religious experience
poor diet- vitamin b deficiency (a cause of hallucinations)
What do some neuroscientists suggest cause St Paul’s experience
saw a bright light, became unconscious, temporary loss of sight and symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy
For and against physiological explanations- electro-magnetic fields
Strength-similar experiences can be produced by electro-magnetic fields acting on brain or by temporal lobe epilepsy
Weakness-if God was to interact with humans its conceivable that he would use natural physical and neurological processes
Corporate re example
Toronto blessing
move of Holy Spirit- speaking in tongues, animal noises, uncontrollable laughter
How do psychologists view corporate religious experience
social conformity
less reliable than individual
mass hysteria can spread through group
What questions are raised about God regarding corporate re
the character of a god who acts on one small group rather than starving children
