Mysticism Examined: Philosophical Inquiries Into Mysticism (suny Series In Western Esoteric Traditions)

Mysticism presents a challenge to anyone who is interested in fundamental questions about the nature of reality, knowledge, and how we should live. In this book the author examines questions posed by mysticism. He clarifies the nature of the claims advanced by Western and Asian mystics, and explores the beliefs and values of classical mystical ways of life for their interconnections and reasonableness. Jones discusses whether all mystical experiences and all mystical claims of knowledge are similar, and examines the relation of concepts and experiences in mystics’ claims. Also presented are standards for evaluating competing mystical claims, and mystics’ problems with language. Whether mystics’ arguments are rational is investigated along with the relation of moral and non-moral values and the role of beliefs and values in enlightened mystics’ ways of life. Mysticism’s relation to the enterprises of science, theology, psychology and ethics is also examined. “The value of the book lies in the author's ability to draw connections between the work of mystics and contemporary debates in epistemology, the philosophy of science and philosophical psychology.” —David Wisdo, Susquehanna University Part I. Mysticism And Knowledge -- 1. Experience And Conceptualization In Mystical Knowledge -- 2. Knowledge And Unknowing In The Isa Upanisad -- Part Ii. Mysticism And Reason -- 3. Rationality And Mysticism -- 4. The Nature And Function Of Nagarjuna's Argument -- Part Iii. Mysticism And Language -- 5. A Philosophical Analysis Of Mystical Utterances -- Part Iv. Mysticism And Science -- 6. Concerning Joseph Needham On Taoism -- Part V. Mysticism And Theology -- 7. The Religious Irrelevance Of The Ontological Argument -- Part Vi. Mysticism And Psychology -- 8. Concerning Carl Jung On Asian Religious Traditions -- Part Vii. Mysticism And Ethics -- 9. Must Enlightenment Mystics Be Moral? -- 10. Theravada Buddhism And Morality. Richard H. Jones. Revised Versions Of Articles Previously Published. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 287-300) And Index. Mysticism Examined Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I. Mysticism and Knowledge 1. Experience and Conceptualization in Mystical Knowledge 2. Knowledge and Unknowing in the Isa Upanisad Part II. Mysticism and Reason 3. Rationality and Mysticism 4. The Nature and Function of Nägärjuna’s Arguments Part III. Mysticism and Language 5. A Philosophical Analysis of Mystical Utterances Part IV. Mysticism and Science 6. Concerning Joseph Needham on Taoism Part V. Mysticism and Theology 7. The Religious Irrelevance of the Ontological Argument Part VI. Mysticism and Psychology 8. Concerning Carl Jung on Asian Religious Traditions Part VII. Mysticism and Ethics 9. Must Enlightened Mystics Be Moral? 10. Theraväda Buddhism and Morality Notes Selected Bibliography Index In this collection of revised published articles, Richard Jones examines various topics related to the philosophy of