Panel: FAITH, REVELATION AND INTUITION IN SOCIAL SCIENCES PERSPECTIVE



479.3 - IS RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE EPISTEMOLOGICALLY RELIABLE? AN EMBODIED COGNITIVE APPROACH

AUTHORS:
Jung D. (Yonsei University ~ Seoul ~ Korea, Republic of)
Text:
The debate over the epistemological reliability of religious experiences between Perennialism and Constructivism remains unresolved. Perennialism argues that religious experiences reveal a shared ultimate reality, suggesting that mystical experiences across different traditions point to a common, transcendent truth. Robert K. C. Forman introduces the concept of Pure Consciousness Event (PCE), a non-sensory, contentless state of awareness, while Richard Swinburne and William P. Alston support the reliability of religious experiences as direct perceptions of the divine. However, Perennialism faces criticism due to cultural variations and naturalistic explanations, questioning the claim of a universal experience of ultimate reality. Constructivism argues that all experiences, including religious ones, are shaped by cultural and cognitive frameworks, challenging the notion of unmediated encounters with the transcendent. Steven T. Katz emphasizes that experiences are processed through complex epistemological filters influenced by cultural and cognitive backgrounds. However, Constructivism faces criticism for potential reductionism, which may overlook the existential and transformative power of religious experiences. To bridge this gap, this paper critically examines an embodied cognitive approach proposed by Carlos Miguel Rincon. This perspective views religious experiences not as unmediated intuitions revealing epistemological truths but as existential events providing practical guidance and transformative power. By emphasizing the lived, existential impact of religious experiences, this approach reconciles Perennialism's focus on shared ultimate reality with Constructivism's attention to cultural mediation, preserving their epistemological significance while embracing their spiritual dimensions.