Walter Stace Religious Experience

Question 1

What are the 2 types of ME

Answer 1

Extrovertive = when a subject can still experience the physical, but the mystic union w the divine shines through

Introvertive= when a subject achieves total suppression of the world and their normal consciousness is replaced w the mystical consciousness

Question 2

Introvertive ME

Answer 2

Full experience of mysticism which allows for ineffable peace and knowledge of the supreme good. This is when a persons consciousness or existence of the ‘I’ ceases to exist

However, this is not coherent w ur sense experience that ur sense of ‘I’ ceases as we all have autonomy over our minds, thoughts and actions

Question 3

Criticism of Otto

Answer 3

Trying to explain the apparently ineffable with set criteria seems inconsistent. By defining the numinous and wholly other so precisely, he risks making the ineffable effable whereas stace and James are more pragmatic, they describe how ME function e.g. producing unity w the divine, yet leaving room for interpretation and subjectivity