Philosophy of mysticism : raids on the ineffable / Richard H. Jones.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jones, Richard H., 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mysticism.

Physical Description:

xviii, 420 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [2016]

Summary:

This work is a comprehensive study of the philosophical issues raised by mysticism. Mystics claim to experience reality in a way not available in normal life, a claim which makes this phenomenon interesting from a philosophical perspective. Richard H. Jones's inquiry focuses on the skeleton of beliefs and values of mysticism: knowledge claims made about the nature of reality and of human beings; value claims about what is significant and what is ethical; and mystical goals and ways of life. Jones engages language, epistemology, metaphysics, science, and the philosophy of mind. Methodological issues in the study of mysticism are also addressed. Examples of mystical experience are drawn chiefly from Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, but also from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Daoism. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Mysticism and Mystical Experiences 1

Mystical Experiences 3

Mystical Paths 7

Extrovertive Mystical Experiences 12

Mindfulness 14

Introvertive Mystical Experiences 19

Depth-Mystical Experiences 21

Mystical Enlightenment 25

A Typology of Mystical Experiences 31

Weighting Mystical Experiences 34

2 Mystical Knowledge and Religious Ways of Life 37

Experience and Knowledge 39

Are There Genuine Mystical Experiences? 41

Attribution Theory 43

The Depth-Mystical Experience and Its Conceptualizations 46

Mystical Experiences and Mystical Ways of Life 49

Constructivism 52

Nonconstructivism 58

Constructivism and the Depth-Mystical Experience 60

Can the Constructivism Dispute be Resolved? 65

The Possibility of Mystical Insight 70

3 Are Mystical Experiences Cognitive? 71

Can Nonmystics Judge the Veridicality of Mystical Experiences? 72

What Can Mystics Claim to Know? 74

Mysticism and Empiricism 80

The Principle of Credulity 82

The Analogy to Sense-Perception 85

Problems of Justifying Specific Doctrinal Claims 88

The Limitation of Any Mystical Claim to Knowledge 92

Can Mystical Knowledge-Claims Be Compared? 98

Do Mystical Knowledge-Claims Genuinely Conflict? 99

Can One Mystical System Be Established as Best? 103

Is It Rational to Accept Mystical Knowledge-Claims? 106

"Properly Basic Beliefs" 111

Ultimate Decisions 117

4 The Scientific Study of Mystics and Meditators 121

Scientific Study Versus Mystical Practices 123

Are New Theories of the Mind Needed? 125

Can Mystical Experiences Be Studied Scientifically? 131

Scientific Explanations of Mystical Experiences 134

Sociocultural Explanations of Mystical Experiences 138

Explaining Away Mystical Experiences 139

Problems with Sociocultural Explanations 143

Problems with Physiological Explanations 146

Do Natural Triggers Produce Mystical Experiences? 151

Natural Phenomena and Mystical Insights 153

The Compatibility Problem 155

Applying Occam's Razor 159

Our Epistemic Situation 161

Is Naturalism or a Transcendent Alternative More Plausible? 165

The Neutrality of Science 169

5 Mysticism and Metaphysics 171

Mystical Metaphysics 173

The Status of the World 177

The Nature of Transcendent Realities 185

Consciousness 188

The Self 191

The Question of Mystical Union 193

Mysticism and the Closure of Mystery 198

6 Mysticism and Language 203

Ineffability 204

The Mirror Theory of Language 208

And Yet Mystics Continue to Talk 213

An Analogy 215

Silence 217

Positive Characterizations of Transcendent Realities 219

Mystical Utterances and Knowledge 223

Negation 225

Defending Mystical Discourse 229

7 Mysticism and Rationality 233

Rationality and Styles of Reasoning 235

Paradox 238

Resolving Paradoxes 242

Understanding the Paradoxical 249

Nagarjuna's Reasoning 252

Mysticism and the Question of Universal Reason 258

8 Mysticism and Science 261

Scientific and Mystical Approaches to Reality 263

An Analogy 267

Beingness and Science 268

Mystical Experience Versus Scientific Measurement and Theorizing 269

Indirect Avenues of Aid 273

Science, Mysticism, and the Natural World 275

The Difference in Content 277

Science and Mystical Metaphysics 281

Complementarity 283

Reconciling Mysticism and Science 286

9 Mysticism and Morality 289

The Basic Question of Compatibility 291

Are Mystics Necessarily Moral? 295

Mystical Selflessness and the Presuppositions of Morality 301

Emotions, Values, and Beliefs 303

"You Are That" 305

A Metaphysics of Wholeness and Morality 308

Factual Beliefs, Values, and Mystical Experiences 311

"Beyond Good and Evil" 315

Will Any Actions Do? 318

Mystical Decision-Making 323

Mystical Selflessness and Morality 327

Epilogue: The Demise of Mysticism Today 331

The Antimystical Climate Today 333

Accepting Mysticism Today 338

A Mystical Revolution? 343

A Thirst for Transcendence 345.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781438461199

1438461194

OCLC:

918616327