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The Amazon Store at MillionDollarPetPix.com ( In association with Amazon.com )The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (Penguin American Library)by: William James  List Price: $14.00 Amazon.com's Price: $11.20 You Save: $2.80 (20%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 291.42 EAN: 9780140390346 ISBN: 0140390340 Label: Penguin Classics Manufacturer: Penguin Classics Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 576 Publication Date: December 16, 1982 Publisher: Penguin Classics Studio: Penguin Classics Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: "I am neither a theologian, nor a scholar learned in the history of religions, nor an anthropologist. Psychology is the only branch of learning in which I am particularly versed. To the psychologist the religious propensities of man must be at least as interesting as any other of the facts pertaining to his mental constitution. It would seem, therefore, as a psychologist, the natural thing for me would be to invite you to a descriptive survey of those religious propensities." 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. Product Description: Standing at the crossroads of psychology and religion, this catalyzing work applied the scientific method to a field abounding in abstract theory. William James believed that individual religious experiences, rather than the precepts of organized religions, were the backbone of the world's religious life. His discussions of conversion, repentance, mysticism and saintliness, and his observations on actual, personal religious experiences - all support this thesis. In his introduction, Martin E. Marty discusses how James' pluralistic view of religion led to his remarkable tolerance of extreme forms of religious behaviour, his challenging, highly original theories, and his welcome lack of pretension in all of his observations on the individual and the divine. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - thick but worth the effortI agree with some commentators about how difficult is to read this book. Yes, there are numerous quotations that are tedious and after the first reading I have not read again but, there is a treasure of quotes that would be difficult to find nowadays that shed enourmous light to the subject at hand and are worth reading and rereading. In his conclusion he writes: " Although the religious question is primarily a question of life, of living or not living in the higher union which opens itself to us ... Read More Rating: - As promisedIt arrived on time and in the condition described. I would not hesitate to use this vendor again. Bravo! Rating: - A must-read for anyone interested in spirituality and real religionIt is often said of classics that one is meant to know about but not actually read them. How many believers in evolution have actually waded through Darwin's dry tome? Well, this book is certainly an exception to that rule, and will leave most readers with changed views both on what religion really means as well as its significance to the individual. I'd seen the book quoted so many times by other authors that finally I decided to see what it was all about, and I'm glad I did. The many quotes ... Read More Rating: - Always providing further insightThis 1902 publication still takes pride of place as a landmark study and remains one of the most influential books ever on psychology and spirituality. The style is accessible and engaging, consistently interesting with well-reasoned arguments. Religions are not compared; the study is restricted to the experiences of the individual. James considers the feelings, actions and experiences of people insofar as they understand themselves to be in a relationship with whatever they consider ... Read More Rating:  - Worthless and empty headedYet peiople actually gave this trash 5 stars Goes to show how few people have any religious experience in order to see that James is all blabbering. Maybe 100 yrs ago James could manage to tickle ears , folks who wanted to hear more than the sunday preacher. But as we see 100 yrs later its all worthless and empty. There is so much erroneous babbling comming out of James, it would have been best if James had kept mought shut, as he shows he has no spiritual experience himself. ... Read More 
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