Similar Differences

Abstract

The study of mystical experiences is an endeavor that has been approached in many ways. Philosophy, psychology (cognitive, social, and evolutionary), anthropology and sociology all offer different insights into the phenomenon of reported mystical experiences. 1 Anomalous subjective experiences are reported in almost all of the world's religious traditions as well as outside of religious frameworks. Often, paradoxical and ethereal language is used in conjunction with typical doctrinal or tradition-specific language to describe such experiences. The widespread use of such seemingly extra-traditional, sometimes poetic, and cross-culturally similar language can lead to difficulty in attempting to analyze and interpret claims of such experiences.1 Within this work, the term "mystical" will refer to anomalous subjective experiences. The term will, then, be used in reference to both "experiences of unity with or without a sense of multiplicity" and "experiences of a felt presence whether loving or fearsome" (Taves, p. 20). Abstract:The study of mystical experiences is an endeavor that has been approached in many ways. One unresolved issue in this area of study is whether or not there is a particular type of experience underlying the traditionally religious interpretations, which can be termed "mystical." In this paper, the author posits that some of the foundational claims of the common core view and the social constructivist view of the nature of such experiences, respectively, are not completely incompatible. Rather, the two approaches may converge with regard to the cognitive foundations of cross-culturally accessible anomalous experiences.