Mysticism, Mediation, and Consciousness : The Innate Capacity in John Ruusbroec
The Innate Capacity December 4, 1997 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780195116977.003.0005 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractOver the past fifty years, philosophers of mysticism have debated the meaning and epistemological status of quotations from mystics like John Ruusbroec. This debate has unfolded in three discernible philosophical moments. The author enters this discussion by focusing on the relationship between mysticism, mediation, and consciousness, a vexed issue within the ongoing debate.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that the debate among philosophers of mysticism has three discernible moments and that the relationship between mysticism, mediation, and consciousness remains a vexed issue. |
Abstract
Abstract DURING THE PAST fifty years, philosophers of mysticism have been actively intrigued by the meaning and epistemological status of quotations such as this one by John Ruusbroec, the fourteenth-century mystic from Flanders. An intense and fruitful debate has emerged, one marked by three discernible and on going philosophic moments. By briefly sketching this debate, I will clarify my own entry into the discussion, as well as my focus on one of its vexed issues: the relationship of mysticism, mediation, and consciousness.