Mystical Ensemble: (Re)defining Mysticism

The chapter takes up the difficulties of discussing mysticism and mystical experiences philosophically. How to describe something that is almost by definition ineffable? There is a notable tradition of the philosophy of mysticism, which has said a lot of meaningful things about mysticism. This chapter argues that an essential virtue for the philosophy of mysticism is coherence between three aspects of mysticism: the mystical subject, the mystical Object, and the mystical experience that mediates the two. The philosophy of mysticism is discussed in connection to the study of esotericism, and it is pointed out that the two have very different approaches to essentially the same phenomena. It is argued that while essentialism about mystical experiences is to be avoided in historical, empirical studies, which the current study of esotericism is mostly about, it is still a possible approach in the philosophy of mysticism.