William James Flashcards
What are the four criteria William James identified for mystical religious experiences?
The four criteria are:
1 - Ineffable: The experience is beyond language and cannot be adequately described in words.
2 - Noetic: The experience provides some sort of knowledge or insight.
3 - Transient: The experience is temporary.
4 - Passive: The experience happens to a person; it is not actively caused by them.
What does James mean by saying mystical experiences are “ineffable”?
James means that mystical experiences defy expression and cannot be adequately reported in words. They must be directly experienced to be fully appreciated.
What is James’ pluralist argument for religious experiences?
James argues that the common features of mystical experiences across different cultures suggest they are not coincidental. He proposes that these experiences come from a higher spiritual reality.
How does Paul Knitter’s metaphor relate to James’ pluralist view?
Paul Knitter uses the metaphor of wells: each religion is a well, and at the bottom, they all connect to the same source of water, representing a common spiritual reality underlying all religions.
What are some alternative naturalistic explanations for the cross-cultural similarity of religious experiences?
Alternatives include the idea that human brains hallucinate similarly due to evolutionary development, or that religious experiences serve universal psychological or sociological functions.
What is James’ pragmatism argument regarding religious experiences?
James argues that religious experiences should not be dismissed as mere hallucinations because they often have positive, profound, and life-changing effects, which can be observed and considered evidence of their truth.
How does James use conversion experiences to support his pragmatism argument?
James points to conversion experiences, where individuals undergo significant life changes after a religious experience, as evidence that these experiences come from a higher spiritual reality due to their profound impact.
What is a counter-argument to James’ pragmatism argument about religious experiences?
A counter-argument is that life-changing hallucinations can also occur without a higher spiritual reality, particularly if they align with a person’s pre-existing beliefs or desires.
