[lit-ideas] Re: Kataphatic, Negative and Apophatic Theology

  • From: Scribe1865@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 14:49:55 EDT

In a message dated 8/6/2004 2:28:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
phil.enns@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
At its simplest, how does one
identify a mystical experience?
____
Doesn't that depend upon what one means by "identify"? 

If one is making a rational argument, then identifying involves a consistent 
narrative that has to ground its premises. However one can also identify 
something without knowing precisely how one identifies it or why. 
Identification 
would seem to include a spectrum of possibilities. For example, one could hear 
ten seconds of music and identify it as jazz, either by harmonic analysis based 
on what one knows about music theory, or by an intuitive judgment based on 
one's experience of listening to music.

Further, doesn't via negativa already imply the kataphatic?

(Please note that I am asking these questions to draw out Phil's knowledge 
and experience with the topic, not to posit a counterargument.) 


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