William James and mystical experience
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain William James' understanding of religious and mystical experiences and how they contribute to the question of God's existence.
Key learning points
- William James studied religious experiences from a psychologist's perspective and explained their impact on philosophy.
- He relied on observation, conversation and evidence of impact to reach his conclusions.
- William James identified four features of mystical experience.
- He did not seek to prove the existence of a particular God or gods.
- William James concluded that his research leads to a likelihood of a god existing.
Keywords
Mystical experience - a religious experience where someone feels a deep personal connection to a higher power
Pragmatism - a philosophical approach that assesses ideas based on their usefulness in real-life situations
Religious experience - personal feeling or moment when someone believes they connect with a higher power
William James - 20th century psychologist and philosopher who popularised pragmatism
Common misconception
Students may think James had a clear view on the existence of God.
James' investigtions led him to be agnostic and open to the idea of God rather than to be a believer.
Teacher tip
Task C could be used as either an oracy or an extended writing task.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the word for an acceptance that something is true without having to have proof?
Q2.What is evidence?
Q3.How should this sentence be completed: A person's way of understanding, experiencing and responding to the world is usually known as a ...
Q4.Which word describes a message or information passed on by a supernatural being?
Q5. refers to believing something strongly, often without requiring proof.
Q6.A person feeling a deep sense of peace and connection to God during prayer or meditation could be described as having a experience.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A type of religious experience where someone feels a deep personal connection to a higher power is usually known as a experience.
Q2.Which of the following is not a source William James used when evaluating religious experiences?
Q3.What is pragmatism?
Q4.Which of the following of William James' characteristics of mystical experiences means they convey deep and profound knowledge?
Q5.What was the key message of William James' lecture titled 'The Will to Believe'?
Q6.Did William James think religious experiences support the existence of God?
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: William James and mystical experience, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: William James and mystical experience, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Knowing God: does religious experience prove God exists? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.