The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (Modern Library) (Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books) - Softcover

William James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0679640118 ISBN 13: 9780679640110

Publisher: Random House Inc, 2002

Synopsis

First published in 1902, this centenary edition, includes a new preface, introductions on the book's history, philosophical influence and modern relevance, and new indexing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this landmark text. The Varieties of Religious Experience was an immediate bestseller upon its publication in June 1902. Reflecting the pluralistic views of psychologist turned philosopher William James, it posits that individual religious experiences, rather than the tenets of organized religions, form the backbone of religious life. James s discussion of conversion, repentance, mysticism, and hope of reward and fears of punishment in the hereafter as well as his observations on the religious experiences of such diverse thinkers as Voltaire, Emerson, Luther, and others all support his thesis. Walter Houston Clark in Psychology Today deemed it the most notable of all books in the field of the psychology of religion. Since 1917 The Modern Library prides itself as The modern Library of the world s Best Books . Featuring introductions by leading writers, stunning translations, scholarly endnotes and reading group guides. Production values emphasize superior quality and readability. Competitive prices, coupled with exciting cover design make these an ideal gift to be cherished by the avid reader.

About this title

Review:

One of the seminal works of philosophy and theology. (Catholic Herald)

From the Back Cover:

When William James went to the University of Edinburgh in 1901 to deliver a series of lectures on "natural religion," he defined religion as "the feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine." Considering religion, then, not as it is defined by--or takes place in--the churches, but as it is felt in everyday life, he undertook a project that, upon completion, stands not only as one of the most important texts on psychology ever written, not only as a vitally serious contemplation of spirituality, but for many critics one of the best works of nonfiction written in the 20th century. Reading The Varieties of Religious Experience, it is easy to see why. Applying his analytic clarity to religious accounts from a variety of sources, James elaborates a pluralistic framework in which "the divine can mean no single quality, it must mean a group of qualities, by being champions of which in alternation, different men may all find worthy missions." It's an intellectual call for serious religious tolerance--indeed, respect--the vitality of which has not diminished through the subsequent decades.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Inc
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0679640118
• ISBN 13: 9780679640110
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 640