A Scientific Assessment of the Validity of Mystical Experiences: Understanding Altered Psychological and Neurophysiological States (Routledge Research in Psychology)

"In this book the approach of the natural sciences is adopted to confront the ontological question of how far mystical experiences can be considered as reports of an objective reality rather than reports of subjective delusions. Moving beyond traditional philosophical or cultural and theological interpretations of mystical phenomena, the author uses inductive inference to analyze claims made by secular and religious mystics, highlight links between altered states of consciousness and neurochemistry, and counters reductionist claims that mystical states are exclusively products of neurochemical, neurophysiological, or psychopathological factors. The text also considers the positive long-term effects of proper use of psychedelics and meditation. This fresh approach to mystical experiences will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students working in the areas of psychology and neuroscience, and with an interest in mysticism in religious studies and philosophy"-- Provided by publisher In this book the approach of the natural sciences is adopted to confront the ontological question of how far mystical experiences can be considered as reports of an objective reality rather than reports of subjective delusions. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Endorsements 7 Contents 8 About the Author 10 Acknowledgements 12 Preface 13 1. Defining Mystical States and Experiences 18 What Is the Mystical State and What Is Not 18 Comprehending the Ineffable 24 The Two World Legends 28 2. Unintentional and Deliberate Methods of Attaining Mystical States: Religious, Cultural, and Philosophical Perspective 32 Aspects of the Mystical State 32 Unintended or “Spontaneous” Mystical States 35 The Way of the Philosophers 42 The Way of the East 48 Dionysius the Areopagite and the Athonites 55 The Mystics of Western Christianity 63 The Curious Efficacy of Mortification 69 Are “Near Death Experiences” Mystical? 72 The Mystical Tradition in Judaism and Islam 79 3. Mystical States achieved through Psychedelics: The Origins, Classical, and Contemporary Use of Psychedelics 82 On the Origin of the Belief in a Hidden World 82 The Classical Psychedelics 85 Ritualistic use of Psychedelics: Three Examples 89 The Good Friday Experiment 96 Formal Contemporary Studies with Psychedelics 98 4. Questioning the Reliability of Mystical States: Identifying Features 104 Identifying the Reliable Features of the Mystical State 104 Classification of the Genuine Features of the Mystical State 109 Could the Reliably Reported Features be Fabrications? 115 The Status of the Culturally Conditioned and the Genuine Features 116 5. Questioning the Validity of Mystical States: Opinions and Objections 119 The Range of Opinions on the Validity of the Mystics’ Claims 119 Is the Validity of the Mystical Knowledge Indeterminate? 123 The General Objection to the Validity of the Mystical State 128 Specific Objections to the Validity of the Mystical State 131 Brain Activity Patterns and Experiences 139 6. The Experiencing Subject and Mystical Object: Defining the Validity of the Mystical State 144 The Validity of the Genuine Features of the Mystical State 144 The Independent Existence of the Mystical Object 147 References 151 Index 155 Psychedelics;,Therapeutic,uses,of,psychedelics;,Mysticism;,Mystical,states;,Altered,consciousness;,Mystical,knowledge;,Meditation;,Transpersonal,psychology;,Psychopharmacology;,Plotinus;,Hindu,mysticism;,Christian,mystics;,Ultimate,reality;,Athonites;,Sufis;,Trans-subjective,knowledge;,Cultural,constructivism;,Neurochemistry;,Neurophysiology;,Psychopathology Psychedelics,Therapeutic uses of psychedelics,Mysticism,Mystical states,Altered consciousness,Mystical knowledge,Meditation,Transpersonal psychology,Psychopharmacology,Plotinus,Hindu mysticism,Christian mystics,Ultimate reality,Athonites,Sufis,Trans-subjective knowledge,Cultural constructivism,Neurochemistry,Neurophysiology,Psychopathology