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SSWI-221TP Varieties of Religious Experience

3 Credits

This course introduces key concepts for understanding religious experiences, from the distinction between the sacred and the profane, to the notions of mysticism and saintliness, to practices of ritual, commemoration and sacrifice. We will approach a number of religious phenomena critically and with an eye to their philosophical significance, while focusing on the experiential and practical dimensions of religion (rather than texts or doctrines). The course will consider such topics as the challenges of atheism, materialism, and nihilism; the proximity of religion to violence, psychosis and irrationality; and the psychology of mystical experiences past and present