title: Master of Hallucination: A Pragmatist Epistemology and Exploration of Mystical Experience

authors: Barron, Daniel James

subjects: philosophy

abstract: Mystical experience appears to have always been a feature of human consciousness, and occurs with an enormous variety of content, character, and context. A modern awareness of the variegated nature of mystical experience has led to particular types being almost automatically considered false, usually on somewhat dubious grounds. How might a sound epistemology of mystical experience be developed? Most philosophers who tackle this question attempt to shoehorn mystical experience into a relatively traditional epistemology, with unconvincing results. God or whatever supernatural realm or entity a mystic might claim to perceive is a special kind of object, and requires a special epistemic approach. A common theme of mystical experience is the special knowledge or power that its subject claims to have gained. Perhaps such potentially tangible benefits should be made the focus of an epistemology of mysticism. In this thesis, my first act is to define mystical experience in a broader, more inclusive sense than most other treatments of the topic have done. I then examine the problems of formulating a viable epistemology of mystical experience around the traditional notions of objectivity and subjectivity, explore the question of whether current evolutionary theory can aid us in understanding the epistemic worth of mystical experience, and develop a pragmatist epistemology of mystical experience that draws on the work of William James and John Dewey. I conclude the thesis by arguing for an understanding of mystical experience as a supremely valuable force regardless of the reality of the supernatural, and as a potential cornerstone in a twenty-first century humanism.

text: Master of Hallucination: A Pragmatist Epistemology and Exploration of Mystical Experience Mystical experience appears to have always been a feature of human consciousness, and occurs with an enormous variety of content, character, and context. A modern awareness of the variegated nature of mystical experience has led to particular types being almost automatically considered false, usually on somewhat dubious grounds. How might a sound epistemology of mystical experience be developed? Most philosophers who tackle this question attempt to shoehorn mystical experience into a relatively traditional epistemology, with unconvincing results. God or whatever supernatural realm or entity a mystic might claim to perceive is a special kind of object, and requires a special epistemic approach. A common theme of mystical experience is the special knowledge or power that its subject claims to have gained. Perhaps such potentially tangible benefits should be made the focus of an epistemology of mysticism. In this thesis, my first act is to define mystical experience in a broader, more inclusive sense than most other treatments of the topic have done. I then examine the problems of formulating a viable epistemology of mystical experience around the traditional notions of objectivity and subjectivity, explore the question of whether current evolutionary theory can aid us in understanding the epistemic worth of mystical experience, and develop a pragmatist epistemology of mystical experience that draws on the work of William James and John Dewey. I conclude the thesis by arguing for an understanding of mystical experience as a supremely valuable force regardless of the reality of the supernatural, and as a potential cornerstone in a twenty-first century humanism.

year: 2011

title: Book review: The Revelations of St. Birgitta of Sweden, Vol. 2, Liber Caelestis, Books IV-V.

authors: Barratt, Alexandra

abstract: This article reviews the book “The Revelations of St. Birgitta of Sweden, vol 2, Liber Caelestis, Books IV-V”, translated by Denis Searby.

text: Book review: The Revelations of St. Birgitta of Sweden, Vol. 2, Liber Caelestis, Books IV-V. This article reviews the book “The Revelations of St. Birgitta of Sweden, vol 2, Liber Caelestis, Books IV-V”, translated by Denis Searby.

year: 2013

title: Blood Quantum  “A Pūrākau approach to understanding the impact of ‘Blood Quantum’ in Māori Identity”

authors: Edwards, Alvina Jean

subjects: Blood quantum

abstract: “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house” (Lorde, 1984, p.94)

This thesis begins and ends with being Ngāi Tahu, the two fundamental questions that generated this topic are: Who determines Indigenous legal identity? Who defines tribal membership and affiliation? Although the idea of defining Indigenous Peoples, for political purposes originated in colonial times, the complications, and complexities of defining who an Indigenous individual remains a truly contentious issue. This thesis will draw on the Indigenous Māori methodology of pūrākau, or story work for its structure and method to explore the above questions relating to Indigenous identity. The pūrākau approach enables the research to harness mātauranga Māori knowledge such as whakapapa and korero tuku iho alongside western thought, which is now inked in academic disciplines such as in the study of law. This thesis explores notions such as Indigenous ‘blood’ and our Indigenous ‘DNA.’ It is argued that to understand the history, the politics, the laws of blood quantum and DNA, it is important to understand the mind of the coloniser and the tools they continue to use. 

The study of blood quantum has become an important aspect of the tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) of many Indigenous peoples. From a historical and cultural perspective, blood quantum standards divide and alienate communities, and perpetuate a discourse that promotes internalised self-hatred, alienation, and fractionation. This research will develop pūrākau as a pedagogy through creating learning tools. These new learning tools will counteract the possibility of our Indigenous Peoples from being trapped within these social constructions. The thesis will explore possible self-determination techniques which emphasize pūrākau in establishing identity through creating a journey of recovery through the application of pūrākau in decolonising blood quantum ideology. Ultimately, Indigenous Peoples of Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America need to be the ones in control of their identity, tribal affiliation, cultural continuity, destiny, and the way they are legally defined.

Let's reclaim our stolen tools (Lorde, 1979)

text: Blood Quantum  “A Pūrākau approach to understanding the impact of ‘Blood Quantum’ in Māori Identity” “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house” (Lorde, 1984, p.94)

This thesis begins and ends with being Ngāi Tahu, the two fundamental questions that generated this topic are: Who determines Indigenous legal identity? Who defines tribal membership and affiliation? Although the idea of defining Indigenous Peoples, for political purposes originated in colonial times, the complications, and complexities of defining who an Indigenous individual remains a truly contentious issue. This thesis will draw on the Indigenous Māori methodology of pūrākau, or story work for its structure and method to explore the above questions relating to Indigenous identity. The pūrākau approach enables the research to harness mātauranga Māori knowledge such as whakapapa and korero tuku iho alongside western thought, which is now inked in academic disciplines such as in the study of law. This thesis explores notions such as Indigenous ‘blood’ and our Indigenous ‘DNA.’ It is argued that to understand the history, the politics, the laws of blood quantum and DNA, it is important to understand the mind of the coloniser and the tools they continue to use. 

The study of blood quantum has become an important aspect of the tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) of many Indigenous peoples. From a historical and cultural perspective, blood quantum standards divide and alienate communities, and perpetuate a discourse that promotes internalised self-hatred, alienation, and fractionation. This research will develop pūrākau as a pedagogy through creating learning tools. These new learning tools will counteract the possibility of our Indigenous Peoples from being trapped within these social constructions. The thesis will explore possible self-determination techniques which emphasize pūrākau in establishing identity through creating a journey of recovery through the application of pūrākau in decolonising blood quantum ideology. Ultimately, Indigenous Peoples of Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America need to be the ones in control of their identity, tribal affiliation, cultural continuity, destiny, and the way they are legally defined.

Let's reclaim our stolen tools (Lorde, 1979)

year: 2020