¶ … William James' idea of man's religious experience is that man feels God or a spiritual presence in him and that this intuition alone - real as it feels -- is the basis of evidence that a mystical something exists. Congruent to the utilitarianism of James' philosophy, he asserts the cash-value of such belief in that it helps the individual attain a more meaningful life and gives him certain direction and bliss. In this way, interaction with the Divine (or mystical feelings) whether 'real or not that such presence exists -- and it doesn't matter - are important and authentic since they contain instrumental value.
Scientists of the time perceived people who had religious 'experiences' as being, at best, in delirium; at worst, as delusional and insane. James argued that these instances were metaphysical, namely above and beyond physical experience, and could, consequently, not be measured by scientific criteria.
Drawing a distinction between science and religion, and supporting his argument with biographies, James also argues that it is the experience itself that has to be dealt with rather than (as in science) the result. And one has to stay with the phenomenological experience rather than reduce it to factual scientific criteria.
James, further notices, that there are two difference ways of accepting the universe. One can either accept it, as per the Stoics did, stoically and resolutely resigned to circumstances whether one likes them or not. Or one can perceive the universe in a passionate happy manner. One's perception affects one's life. This deep feeling of contentment that comes with religious experience provides a true inner happiness, a genuine bliss that is the crest of good feeling. Religion, therefore, possesses instrumental value and, rather than these experiences being dismissed, they should be welcomed and encouraged.
In fact, much of James' writings (as do his later ones) indicate that James relegated a superior role to metaphysics than he did to science. This is ironical since James was also one of our pioneering psychologists and neurologists and may be perceived,...
William James finds that religious experience is useful on the whole, even amongst the most vital mankind's biological operations, but he also says that this does not make it true. Nevertheless, James presents his own belief, which he does not claim to prove, that religious experiences connect us with a greater, or further, reality not accessible in our normal cognitive relations to the world. The further limits of our being
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