Varieties of Religious Experience, a Study in Human Nature - The Original Classic Edition

from JVioland

A good, although difficult, read. How does human nature act upon our perceptions of what we consider supernatural? There is validity to our spiritual bent. It comes about through culture and belief. The validity of that belief is independent of scientific verification.

from timbrown5

James asks: "Who know whether the faithfulness of individuals here below to their poor over-beliefs may not actually help God in turn be more effectively faithful to his own greater tasks?"James asserts the need for psychology to study individual spiritual experiences. This being a legitimate and...

from antiquary

This had a profound experience on my faith, both negative and positive. It made clear that the ideas I had previously used to defend my faith were inadequate, but cleared the way for my developing others. It convinced me that conversion and mysterical experiences were objective phenomena, but not...

from timbrown5

James asks: "Who know whether the faithfulness of individuals here below to their poor over-beliefs may not actually help God in turn be more effectively faithful to his own greater tasks?"James asserts the need for psychology to study individual spiritual experiences. This being a legitimate and...

from jonbrammer

_The Varieties of Religious Experience_ builds to the climax of James explaining his philosophy of Pragmatism. What I think is important here to the religion vs. rationalism debate is that James has no time for established religion, dogma, or theology. Rather, he focuses on the mystical, individu...