The Uncommonness of the Common Core

This chapter examines the common core thesis of mystical experience by situating contemporary empirical psychology within the longer intellectual history of psychology, philosophy, and theology. It traces how William James and Walter Stace defend the distinction between experience and interpretation, establishing a foundation for cross-cultural, phenomenological, and psychometric study, while critics such as McGinn and Wulff question the adequacy of measurement approaches. The chapter argues that psychology's embrace of positivist empiricism narrows its scope and excludes transcendent phenomena, contrasting this reductionism with historical and philosophical perspectives that affirm the ontological and epistemological significance of mystical experience. It argues for methodological pluralism that integrates empirical, philosophical, and theological approaches to investigate transcendent experience without reducing it to pathology or cultural construction.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract This chapter examines the debate surrounding the common core thesis of mystical experience by situating contemporary empirical psychology within the longer intellectual history of psychology, philosophy, and theology. It traces how William James and Walter Stace defend the distinction between experience and interpretation, establishing a foundation for a cross-cultural, phenomenological, and psychometric study of mysticism, while critics such as McGinn and Wulff question the adequacy of measurement approaches. The chapter addresses how psychology’s embrace of positivist empiricism narrows its scope and excludes transcendent phenomena, contrasting this reductionism with historical and philosophical perspectives that affirm the ontological and epistemological significance of mystical experience. It also explores typologies of mysticism, exemplified in Stace’s introvertive and extrovertive categories, and illustrates the common core thesis through historical figures such as Teresa of Avila, whose writings highlight the tension between lived experience and theological interpretation. Finally, the chapter argues for methodological pluralism that integrates empirical, philosophical, and theological approaches, advancing a truly psychological psychology capable of investigating transcendent experience without reducing it to pathology or mere cultural construction.