REFLECTIONS ON THE STUDY OF MYSTICISM AS A CATEGORY
M. Roy
March 25, 2018 DOI: 10.21922/srjis.v5i43.11387 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that mysticism can and should be studied comparatively despite skepticism about its non-rational nature. |
Abstract
Mysticism is an important component of religion, representing its experiential dimension. The term itself is of western origin, adopted by Christianity, evolving over time and extending in meaning only in the nineteenth century to include experiences of encounters with the ultimate nature of Reality in religions. Thus, a category of mysticism has developed, which can be studied in a comparative manner. The study of mysticism has further given rise to various questions related to study of mysticism and various perspectives of dealing with the phenomenon. As mystical experiences are essentially associated with states of mind beyond rationality, there is a general attitude of scepticism connected to study of mysticism. However, this scepticism must be overcome. In the present-day context, when mystical practices are gaining a new level of popularity over the world, it is not only necessary but also quite possible to study mysticism comparatively and to some extent, directly.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |