Ineffability and religious experience : a philosophical study
The notion of ineffability (of that which is, in principle, resistant to conceptual formulation and therefore literal linguistic articulation) has been largely ignored by philosophers. The notion is clearly a central one in the Christian mystical tradition and in more recent apophatic theological developments. Mid-twentieth-century philosophical discussions of mysticism invoked the idea and a number of phenomenologists share a sense that the meaningful human world is answerable to some 'background' that is inarticulable and mysterious. But, despite this, the logical implications of the notion of ineffability for religious experience, language and practice have not been explicitly and systematically thought through. This thesis, restricted to a dual focus on twentieth-century and contemporary philosophy and on the Christian religion, attempts to address this neglect. After reviewing the philosophical, and some theological, literature on the notion of ineffability in religion, this thesis identifies a philosophical tension between the notions of 'ineffability' and 'answerability', between the idea that the ineffable is beyond conceptualization and that some kind of experience, language or practice connected
Bennett-Hunter, Guy Andrew
Philosophy ; Philosophy of religion ; Phenomenology ; Aesthetics
Ineffability and religious experience : a philosophical study. The notion of ineffability (of that which is, in principle, resistant to conceptual formulation and therefore literal linguistic articulation) has been largely ignored by philosophers. The notion is clearly a central one in the Christian mystical tradition and in more recent apophatic theological developments. Mid-twentieth-century philosophical discussions of mysticism invoked the idea and a number of phenomenologists share a sense that the meaningful human world is answerable to some 'background' that is inarticulable and mysterious. But, despite this, the logical implications of the notion of ineffability for religious experience, language and practice have not been explicitly and systematically thought through. This thesis, restricted to a dual focus on twentieth-century and contemporary philosophy and on the Christian religion, attempts to address this neglect. After reviewing the philosophical, and some theological, literature on the notion of ineffability in religion, this thesis identifies a philosophical tension between the notions of 'ineffability' and 'answerability', between the idea that the ineffable is beyond conceptualization and that some kind of experience, language or practice connected
ineffability religious_experience philosophical study notion ineffability principle resistant conceptual formulation therefore literal linguistic articulation largely_ignored philosopher notion clearly central christian mystical tradition recent theological development mid twentieth_century philosophical_discussion mysticism invoke idea number phenomenologists share sense meaningful human world background mysterious despite logical implication notion ineffability religious_experience language practice explicitly systematically think through restrict dual focus twentieth_century contemporary_philosophy christian religion attempt_address neglect review philosophical_theological literature notion ineffability religion identifies philosophical tension notion ineffability idea ineffable beyond conceptualization kind experience language practice connect