Mysticism Examined: Philosophical Inquiries Into Mysticism

316 Pages·1993·4.471 MB·English

by  Richard H. Jones

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Mysticism
R hard H. Jones
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Mysticism Examined
SUNY Series in Western Esoteric Traditions
David Appelbaum, Editor
MYSTICISM EXAMINED
PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRIES
INTO MYSTICISM
RICHARD H. JONES
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
© 1993 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without written permission
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.
For information, address State University of New York
Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 12246
Production by Diane Ganeles
Marketing by Dana E. Yanulavich
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jones, Richard H., 1951-
Mysticism examined philosophical inquiries into mysticism /
Richard H. Jones.
p. cm.—(SUNY series in western esoteric traditions)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7914-1435-3 (hard : alk. paper). — ISBN 0-7914-1436-1
(pbk. alk. paper)
1. Mysticism. 2. Mysticism—Moral and ethical aspects.
3. Knowledge, Theory of (Religion) 4. Philosophy and religion.
I. Title.
BL625.J64 1993
291.4'22'01—dc20 92-16480
CIP
10987654321
Contents
Acknowledgments vil
Introduction
Part I. Mysticism and Knowledge
. Experience and Conceptualization in Mystical Knowledge
. Knowledge and Unknowing in the Isa Upanisad
Part II. Mysticism and Reason
. Rationality and Mysticism 59
. The Nature and Function of Nägärjuna’s Arguments 79
Part III. Mysticism and Language
. A Philosophical Analysis of Mystical Utterances 101
Part IV. Mysticism and Science
Concerning Joseph Needham on Taoism 127
Part V. Mysticism and Theology
The Religious Irrelevance of the Ontological Argument 149
vi Contents
Part VI. Mysticism and Psychology
8. Concerning Carl Jung on Asian Religious Traditions 169
Part VII. Mysticism and Ethics
9. Must Enlightened Mystics Be Moral? 187
10. Theraväda Buddhism and Morality 217
Notes 245
Selected Bibliography 287
Index 301
Acknowledgments
The chapters are revised versions of articles that originally ap-
peared under the following names in the following journals:
1. “Experience and Conceptualization in Mystical Knowledge,”
Zygon: A Journal of Religion and Science 18 (1983): 139-165.
2. “Vidyá and Avidya in the Isa Upanisad,” Philosophy East and
West 31 (1981): 79-87.
3. “Rationality and Mysticism,” International Philosophical
Quarterly 27 (1987): 263-279.
4. “The Nature and Function of Nagarjuna’s Arguments,” Phi-
losophy East and West 28 (1978): 485-502.
5. “A Philosophical Analysis of Mystical Utterances,” Philoso-
phy East and West 29 (1979): 255-274.
6. “Mysticism and Science: Against Needham on Taoism,” Jour-
nal of Chinese Philosophy 8 (1981): 245-266.
7. “The Religious Irrelevance of the Ontological Argument,” Es-
says in Honor of James A. Martin, Jr., Union Seminary Quarterly
Review 37 (1981-1982): 143-157.
8. “Jung and Eastern Religious Traditions,” Religion 9 (1979):
141-156.
9. “Must Enlightened Mystics Be Moral?” Philosophy East and
West 34 (1984): 273-293.
10. “Theraväda Buddhism and Morality,’ Journal of the Amer-
ican Academy of Religion 47 (1979): 371-387.
All articles are published and revised with the permission of
the copyright owners.
vil