Toward a radical empiricism: on William James and the contemporary relationship between psychology and spirituality

Author(s)

André Oídes Matoso e Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2016-10-31

Examining board members

Joao Vergilio Gallerani Cuter; Bento Prado de Almeida Ferraz Neto; Marcus Sacrini Ayres Ferraz; Renato Rodrigues Kinouchi; Osvaldo Frota Pessoa Junior

• Advisor: Joao Vergilio Gallerani Cuter

Abstract

William James developed in his work a useful philosophical framework for studies on consciousness and religion which remains valid and applicable in the contemporary practice of disciplines such as psychology and anthropology. The present work is an initial exploration of philosophical possibilities opened up by James in these fields: religiosity, spirituality, and the search for meaning and transcendence in a disenchanted world. The thesis was divided into two parts. In Part I was presented the context of the contemporary relationship between psychology and spirituality. In this part, I discussed the meaning of both words, the relationship that historically exists between them and Jamess role in the historical constitution of that relationship. Besides having a historical role in the formation of a field of studies in which these two topics interconnect, James provided also a philosophical approach to investigate them. He called this approach radical empiricism. In Part II, I developed a reflection on radical empiricism, working out some concepts which may be useful for a radically empiricist inquiry. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/12261-0 - The investigation of consciousness and the problem of human energy: contributions of William James to contemporary psychology
• Grantee: André Oídes Matoso e Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate