influence the practice of contemplating , or the experience of attaining a mystical state , might have had on the formation of philosophical ideas , directly or indirectly .
Various explanations have been put forward for why some specific parallels may have occurred , such as shared linguistic heritage , direct or indirect influence , or coincidental parallel development . 1 There is a further possibility , however , which is that similar philosophical ideas about the ascent of the soul and the impetus towards spiritual union might have been shaped by a commonality of spiritual experience . As Bussanich puts it , ‘ Saints , sages and philosophers discover for themselves and experience the same core metaphysical doctrines and promote similar ethical practices with only variations of local colour ’. 2 This introduces the notion of the common or universal core of mystical experience which holds that there are at least some mystical experiences which have universal features .
This paper focuses on a particular aspect of my research , considering the challenge of hard constructivism to the notion of the common or universal core , particularly as expressed by Steven Katz in his 1978 work on the epistemology of mysticism . 3 I will also outline the approach taken by William Stace in his 1960 study of Philosophy and Mysticism , where he identifies a framework of universal characteristics from a wide range of reported mystical experiences . 4 I will then consider Katz ’ s main contentions about mystical experience and his arguments against a universal framework of features . In response , I will point out some of the examples which suggest that Katz ’ s hard constructivism does not always apply in the context of mystical experience . To begin with , I will give the definitions of mysticism in the context of this discussion .
Definitions
The origins of the word ‘ mysticism ’ lie in the Ancient Greek mystikos the ‘ secret or esoteric path of the mysteries ’. 5 However , it has evolved both
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