The Varieties of Religious Experience
Based on the Gifford Lectures James gave at Edinburgh in 1901 and 1902, this study sets aside churches and doctrines to look at religion where he thought it truly lived: in the private feelings of individuals. Drawing on diaries, letters, and confessions, he examines conversion, saintliness, prayer, and mystical states, and famously contrasts the sunny healthy-minded believer with the sick soul who must pass through despair. His approach is empirical and generous, curious about belief without insisting on it. The book helped found the psychology of religion and still speaks to anyone puzzled by faith. This free PDF and EPUB edition offers one of the great works on the inner life of belief.
About the Author
William James (1842-1910) was an American philosopher and psychologist, a founder of pragmatism and modern psychology, whose vivid, accessible writing made him one of America’s most influential thinkers.
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Listen to The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James free online. The full audiobook (22 hr 23 min, 24 chapters, read by volunteer narrators) streams free on this page.
The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) is a public domain work.
| # | Chapter | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preface | 17:18 | |
| 2 | Lecture I - Religion and Neurology | 1:00:15 | |
| 3 | Lecture 2 - Circumscription of the Topic | 1:04:10 | |
| 4 | Lecture 3 - The Reality of the Unseen | 1:04:19 | |
| 5 | Lecture 4 - The Religion of Healthy-Mindedness | 1:02:05 | |
| 6 | Lecture 5 - The Religion of Healthy-Mindedness | 1:08:51 | |
| 7 | Lecture 6 - The Sick Soul | 53:38 | |
| 8 | Lecture 7 - The Sick Soul | 47:08 | |
| 9 | Lecture 8 - The Divided Self, and the Process of its Unification | 1:01:07 | |
| 10 | Lecture 9 - Conversion | 1:08:16 | |
| 11 | Lecture 10 part 1 - Conversion - Concluded | 53:40 | |
| 12 | Lecture 10 part 2 - Conversion - Concluded | 51:51 | |
| 13 | Lecture 11 - Saintliness | 1:08:41 | |
| 14 | Lecture 12 - Saintliness | 1:03:26 | |
| 15 | Lecture 13 - Saintliness | 38:05 | |
| 16 | Lecture 14 - The Value of Saintliness | 52:43 | |
| 17 | Lecture 15 - The Value of Saintliness | 1:12:23 | |
| 18 | Lecture 16 - Mysticism | 1:15:15 | |
| 19 | Lecture 17 - Mysticism | 57:49 | |
| 20 | Lecture 18 - Philosophy | 1:06:17 | |
| 21 | Lecture 19 - Other Characteristics | 1:05:30 | |
| 22 | Lecture 20 Part 1 - Conclusions | 37:27 | |
| 23 | Lecture 20 Part 2 - Conclusions | 55:52 | |
| 24 | Postscript | 17:00 |
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