Radical Empiricism Analysis

Everyone has had an experience which has made them feel as it as irrational or unjustifiable. However, much of these experiences are looked at under doubtful examination, and have been explained to be logically justifiable and not at all mystical. Philosopher, William James (1910) explains these experiences and helps to understand them through his lecture on mysticism. His belief that no part of the experience should be left unexplored is what gained him a respectful popularity, James calls this radical empiricism (Hood 2002, p. 5) In his essay, Jason Blum (2015) contributes his interpretation of mysticism, more specifically radical empiricism, and how it can be used to understand a phenomenology of religion. The connection between James’s …show more content…
James demands those who are looking at such topics to look at it under a radical empirical view, therefore looking at it with complete observation instead of merely putting faith into the logic of it (Hood 2002, p. 5). It is important to understand that radical empiricism is not to be seen as manipulative, being through empiricism and open to one’s thoughts, they can find answers on self-identity (Hood 2002, p. 5). Compared to others, such as Hume and Kant, it is solely James who encourages such openness when examining experiences (Hood 2002, p. 6). For example, as Hume could not find the “unified me” when peering into himself, James was able to as he used a radical empirical approach (Hood 2002, p. 6). Two important factors to note are; first, James encourages individuals to examine everything as a “methodological truth” and to consider everything which is real has to be encounterable (Hood 2002, p. 5). Second, it is crucial for psychologists to describe an experience sufficiently in order to avoid confusion, and the relativity between things are in the hands of the experience and can be described (Hood 2002, p. 6). Radical empiricism, according to James, is exposed to the possibility of mystical experiences revealing an “ontological realty”, where the soul becomes a valuable concept for psychology (Jr 2002, p. 10). James (2002) confronts the truth that many psychologists look at the soul with disregards, but finds that the prejudice against the soul can easily be identified as prejudice against the mind (p. 11). Through the mystical experience, the soul is given a empirical position, as it is used to explore the mystical experience (Jr 2002, p. 11). In all, radical empiricism is an encouragement to look at every aspect of an experience with complete acceptance in order to fully form the meanings behind it (Jr