Religious Experience

Question 1

What does William James argue religious experiences are evidence of?

Answer 1

Union with a higher power (not necessarily the Christian God).

Question 2

What did James find when studying religious experiences across different cultures?

Answer 2

Mystical experiences occur in all cultures and religions.

Question 3

What are mystical experiences according to James?

Answer 3

Full-blown out-of-body transcendent experiences, not just visions like seeing an angel.

Question 4

What are the four key features of mystical experiences identified by James?

Answer 4

Ineffable, Noetic, Transient, and Passive.

Question 5

What does ‘ineffable’ mean in James’ criteria?

Answer 5

Beyond description or language.

Question 6

What does ‘noetic’ mean in James’ criteria?

Answer 6

Provides knowledge or insight.

Question 7

What does ‘transient’ mean in James’ criteria?

Answer 7

Happens for a limited amount of time.

Question 8

What does ‘passive’ mean in James’ criteria?

Answer 8

The experience happens to the person; they don’t initiate it.

Question 9

What is the main point of James’ pluralism argument (built on by Walter Stace)?

Answer 9

The universal features of mystical experiences suggest they are caused by a real, objective spiritual reality.

Question 10

What conclusion do James and Stace draw from the similarity in mystical experiences across religions?

Answer 10

All religions are valid and tap into the same higher spiritual reality (pluralism).

Question 11

What did Persinger’s ‘God helmet’ experiment suggest?

Answer 11

Religious experiences can be artificially produced by brain stimulation.

Question 12

How does the similarity of human brains challenge James’ argument?

Answer 12

Similar brain structures could cause similar hallucinations without needing a supernatural cause.

Question 13

What are some natural causes of hallucinations?

Answer 13

Drugs, mental illness, fasting, sleep deprivation, or random brain activity.

Question 14

How does Feuerbach explain the universality of religious experience?

Answer 14

As a result of a universal psychological need for meaning or higher purpose.

Question 15

Why is the naturalistic explanation of religious experiences considered stronger by critics?

Answer 15

It’s simpler, based on scientific evidence, and doesn’t require a supernatural hypothesis (Ockham’s Razor).

Question 16

Why did James believe conversion experiences were especially convincing?

Answer 16

Because of their profound, observable, life-changing effects.

Question 17

How do religious experiences differ from hallucinations, according to James?

Answer 17

Religious experiences lead to positive transformation, unlike typical hallucinations.

Question 18

What case study did James use to support his pragmatism argument?

Answer 18

An alcoholic who, after a religious experience, was suddenly able to give up drinking.

Question 19

How did James define conversion experiences?

Answer 19

Transformation from an unhappy, divided self to a unified, happy self.

Question 20

What is an example of a conversion experience James referenced?

Answer 20

St Paul (formerly Saul) who converted to Christianity after seeing Jesus.

Question 21

What medical explanation is suggested for St Paul’s experience?

Answer 21

Dr. Ramachandran suggests he may have had epilepsy, which can cause hallucinations.

Question 22

Why is James’ argument weakened despite the life-changing effect of experiences?

Answer 22

Some hallucinations can also be life-changing if they occur in the right context to the right person.

Question 23

How does science explain religious experiences and hallucinations?

Answer 23

As projections of the imagination, better explained through neuroscience and psychology.

Question 24

What principle supports the natural explanation over the supernatural one?

Answer 24

Ockham’s Razor – prefer the simpler explanation that works.

Question 25

What did Freud believe religion was?

Answer 25

Wish-fulfilment caused by unconscious fears and desires (e.g., fear of death and responsibility).

Question 26

How does Freud explain the idea of God?

Answer 26

A projection of the unconscious mind to create comfort (e.g., eternal father, afterlife).

Question 27

What analogy does Freud use to explain religious hallucinations?

Answer 27

Like hallucinating water when desperate in a desert, humans hallucinate God due to deep wishes.

Question 28

What methodological criticism is made of Freud?

Answer 28

He lacked scientific evidence, used small and unrepresentative samples, and overgeneralised.

Question 29

How does conversion experience challenge Freud’s theory?

Answer 29

People already believing in an afterlife convert to a different religion, suggesting it's not just wish-fulfilment.

Question 30

Why can’t Freud’s theory explain St Paul’s conversion?

Answer 30

Paul was already religious and believed in an afterlife through Judaism.

Question 31

What’s the overall evaluation of Freud’s explanation?

Answer 31

It may apply to some, but lacks evidence and is too generalised to explain all religious experiences.

Question 32

What is Swinburne’s main argument regarding religious experience?

Answer 32

REs are evidence for God’s existence based on the principles of credulity and testimony.

Question 33

What is the principle of credulity?

Answer 33

If something appears real to someone, we should trust that it probably is unless we have reason not to.

Question 34

What is the principle of testimony?

Answer 34

If someone tells you they experienced something, you should believe them unless there's a reason not to.

Question 35

When does Swinburne accept it's rational to dismiss a religious experience?

Answer 35

When there’s evidence of drugs, sleep deprivation, mental illness, etc.

Question 36

What is Swinburne’s point about unexplained religious experiences?

Answer 36

If no counter-evidence exists, we should accept them as valid evidence for God.

Question 37

What is a key criticism of Swinburne's argument?

Answer 37

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and REs alone aren’t strong enough.

Question 38

Why is Swinburne’s argument considered insufficient for belief in God?

Answer 38

Even if REs are evidence, they may not be strong enough to justify belief without further support.

Question 39

What is a corporate religious experience?

Answer 39

A religious experience shared by multiple people at the same time.

Question 40

What is an example of a corporate religious experience?

Answer 40

The Toronto Blessing – people felt the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, rolled on the floor laughing.

Question 41

Why are corporate REs considered harder to dismiss?

Answer 41

Because they occur simultaneously in groups, not explained easily by individual conditions.

Question 42

How can group religious experiences be explained naturally?

Answer 42

Through psychological phenomena like social compliance, mass hysteria, and mob mentality.

Question 43

What does the example of witch hunts show about group experiences?

Answer 43

Entire groups can genuinely believe in false or irrational events.

Question 44

What is the best explanation for corporate religious experiences according to critics?

Answer 44

Shared delusions or collective psychological phenomena, not supernatural activity.

Question 45

Why is a supernatural explanation for corporate REs unnecessary?

Answer 45

Scientific and psychological explanations are sufficient and more rational.