Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Philosophy
Reader 1
Brian Keeley
Reader 2
Dion Scott-Kakures
Rights Information
© YYYYSofia MI Paramonov
Abstract
In the study of consciousness, mystical experiences - such as near-death experiences and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy - are often taken to be epistemologically insignificant due to neuro-reductionist deflationary explanations. I argue that mystical experiences have the capacity to imbue subjects with cognitive abilities, namely access to unitive consciousness - the ability to perceive all phenomena as metaphysically non-dual. I claim that these mystical states of consciousness contain significant epistemic value. Further, I argue that neurophysiological findings and correlates of these states of consciousness support my claim that unitive consciousness and mysticism are inherent to the phenomena of consciousness itself.
Recommended Citation
Paramonov, Sofia, "Mystical Consciousness" (2023). Scripps Senior Theses. 2107.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/2107
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
