Understanding Religious Experience
February 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1558/isbn.9781781797341 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis work examines fundamental questions about religious experiences, including what makes them 'religious,' whether some are more 'authentic' than others, and whether they reveal insights into otherwise inaccessible regions of reality or are merely products of the brain. The author draws primarily on phenomenological, philosophical, and psychological perspectives, while also incorporating research from other academic disciplines.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that religious experiences raise questions about their nature, authenticity, and origin, and that these can be addressed through multiple scholarly perspectives. |
Abstract
This work seeks to answer a number of fundamental questions about religious experiences. It thus addresses issues such as what it is that makes such experiences ‘religious,’ whether some religious experiences are more ‘authentic’ than others and whether these experiences provide insights into otherwise inaccessible regions of reality or are products of the brains of those who have them. The author draws upon a number of scholarly perspectives in the course of this project, primarily phenomenological, philosophical and psychological ones, though research from other academic disciplines has also been incorporated.