William James

Question 1

In his book, “The ? of Religious Experience”, James’ aim was to take as ? a stance as he could, to take personal accounts of religious experiences seriously and make ? about them.

Answer 1

Varieties.
Objective.
Observations.

Question 2

In his book, James argued that religious experience could be tested for ?: a valid religious experience brings about a lasting ? effect in the individual.

Answer 2

Validity.

Positive.

Question 3

James went on to say that religious experiences from outside Christianity could also be ?, if they produced the same ? in the subject.

Answer 3

Valid.

Effects.

Question 4

For James, the real test of what happened in the religious experience is the ?-? change. Therefore, James is known as a ?: someone who holds that the truth can be determined by its practical effects and ?

Answer 4

Long-term.
Pragmatist.
Consequences.

Question 5

What were James’ four main qualities of a religious experience?

Answer 5

Ineffability, Noetic Quality, Transience and Passivity.

Question 6

James identified four main qualities of religious experiences:

1) Ineffability (the experience is ? to express adequately in normal language).
2) Noetic Quality (the experience gives the person an understanding of important ?).
3) Transience (the experience is over soon even though the ? could last a lifetime).
4) Passivity (the person having the experience feels as if the ? is being controlled from outside themselves).

Answer 6

Impossible.
Truth.
Effect.
Experience.

Question 7

James concluded that although religious experience doesn’t give ? of anything, it’s reasonable to believe that there’s a personal ? who is interested in the world and individuals. This is what he called a “?”. He said it wasn’t reasonable for scholars to reject clear evidence of religious experience just because they started from a position of ?

Answer 7

Proof.
God.
Hypothesis.
Scepticism.