Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id RAA22802 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 15 Sep 2000 17:17:28 +0100 Subject: Re: mysticism Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 12:13:18 -0400 x-sender: wsmith1@camail2.harvard.edu x-mailer: Claris Emailer 2.0v3, Claritas est veritas From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: "memetics list" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Message-ID: <20000915161438.AAA22101@camailp.harvard.edu@[128.103.125.215]> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On 09/15/00 10:07, Robin Faichney said this-
>I'd guess that's rather an old edition of Webster's -- 1913, by any
>chance? -- in which the then current Christian emphasis on transcendence
>at the expense of immanence has muddied the waters.
Sorry- that definition was from the American Heritage, 1996. (I
personally stand by it, though. Your rejection of 'subjective' is
revealing....)
Here is Webster's Collegiate, from the web-
1 : the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate
reality reported by mystics
2 : the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate
reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or
insight)
3 a : vague speculation : a belief without sound basis - b : a theory
postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of
ineffable knowledge or power.
*****
Webster's Third International Unabridged, is practically identical-
1 : the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate
reality reported by mystics
2 : a theory of mystical knowledge : the doctrine or belief that direct
knowledge of God, of spiritual truth, of ultimate reality, or comparable
matters is attainable through immediate intuition, insight, or
illumination and in a way differing from ordinary sense perception or
ratiocination
3 a : vague speculation : VAGARY : a belief without foundation
b : any theory postulating or based on the possibility of direct and
intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power
****
The Oxford, which may command more respect from you for some reason, says
this (and I include all the references)-
1. The opinions, mental tendencies, or habits of thought and feeling,
characteristic of mystics; mystical doctrines or spirit; belief in the
possibility of union with the Divine nature by means of ecstatic
contemplation; reliance on spiritual intuition or exalted feeling as the
means of acquiring knowledge of mysteries inaccessible to intellectual
apprehension.
1736 H. Coventry Philemon Conv. i. ii. 59 How much nobler a Field of
Exercise..are the seraphic Entertainments of Mysticism and Extasy than
the mean and ordinary Practice of a mere earthly and common Virtue!
1765 Maclaine tr. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. Cent. xvii. ii. i. i. Sect.51
This female apostle of Mysticism [sc. Madame Guyon] derived all her ideas
of religion from the feelings of her own heart.
1839 Hallam Lit. Eur. iv. iii. Sect.55 IV. 230 The scepticism of
Malebranche is merely ancillary to his mysticism.
1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 95 He was not only susceptible of
the sublimest mysticism, but his whole soul was steeped in it.
1890 Guardian 25 June 1030 He makes no attempt to show..that the
Mysticism of Swedenborg is the only alternative to the Agnosticism of
Professor Huxley.
1899 Inge Chr. Mysticism ii. 44 The Gospel of St. John..is the charter of
Christian Mysticism.
2. As a term of reproach.
a. From the hostile point of view, mysticism implies self-delusion or
dreamy confusion of thought; hence the term is often applied loosely to
any religious belief to which these evil qualities are imputed.
b. Sometimes applied to philosophical or scientific theories alleged to
involve the assumption of occult qualities or mysterious agencies of
which no rational account can be given.
1763 Warburton Doctr. Grace iii. ii. Wks. 1788 IV. 706 With an incredible
appetite devouring the trash dropt from every species of Mysticism.
1763 Wesley Jrnl. 28 Aug. (1827) III. 140 The same poison of Mysticism
has..extinguished the last spark of life.
1825 Coleridge Aids Refl. 381 The grounding of any theory or belief on
accidents and anomalies of individual sensations or fancies, and the use
of peculiar terms invented or perverted from their ordinary
significations, for the purpose of expressing these idiosyncracies, and
pretended facts of interior consciousness, I name Mysticism.
1838 Prescott Ferd. & Is; viii. (1846) I. 367 An acute and subtile
perception was often clouded by mysticism and abstraction.
1855 M. Pattison in Oxford Ess. 258 That deluge of crude speculation and
vague mysticism which pervades the philosophical and religious literature
of the day.
1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 120 The terrorism, revivalism, mysticism,
or self-concentration which sometimes pose as religion.
*****
The subjective nature of mysticism is probably its only real nature,
Robin.
- Wade
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Sep 15 2000 - 17:18:50 BST