LIMITATIONS ON THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF DRUG‐ENABLED MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES

Scientific interest in drug‐induced mystical experiences reemerged in the 1990s. This warrants reexamining the philosophical issues surrounding such studies: Do psychedelic drugs cause mystical experiences? Are drug‐induced experiences the same in nature as other mystical experiences? Does the fact that mystical experiences can be induced by drugs invalidate or validate mystical cognitive claims? Those questions will be examined here. An overview of the scientific examination of drug‐induced mystical experiences is included, as is a brief overview of the history of the use of psychedelic drugs in religion.     

The architecture of Fazang’s six characteristics

This paper examines the Huayan teaching of the six characteristics as presented in the Rafter Dialogue from Fazang’s Treatise on the Five Teachings. The goal is to make the teaching accessible to those with minimal training in Buddhist philosophy, and especially for those who aim to engage with the extensive question-and-answer section of the Rafter Dialogue. The method for achieving this goal is threefold: first, contextualizing Fazang’s account of the characteristics with earlier Buddhist attempts to theorize the relationships between wholes and their parts; second, explicating the meaning Fazang likely attributes to each of the six characteristics; third, situating the characteristics as explicated within Fazang’s broader metaphysical framework.     

Transformation,fear, and freedom in Teaching to Transgress

One of four short essays published in this issue of the journal to celebrate the 25th anniversary of bell hooks's classic text book, Teaching to Transgress (1994). The authors reflect on the importance of this text for their teaching, when they discovered it, and how it has shaped their approach to the classroom, as illustrated in a particular teaching strategy or assignment that they have used that is inspired by the book.     

Trust,distrust, and affective looping

Philosophical Studies - In this article, I explore the role of affective feedback loops in creating and sustaining trust and distrust. Some emotions, such as fear and contempt, drive out trust;...     

Personality,the Theory of Planned Behavior,and Exercise: A Unique Role for Extroversion's Activity Facet1

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the theory of planned behavior (TPB) mediated the relationship between selected personality traits (i.e., extroversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness) and exercise behavior using structural equation modeling. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that extroversion (E) would have a significant direct effect on exercise behavior while controlling for the TPB. A secondary purpose was to explore whether the facets of these personality domains had significant effects on TPB constructs or exercise behavior while controlling for the general personality domains. Female undergraduate students (N= 301) completed measures of the TPB, the Five‐Factor model of personality, and a 1‐month exercise behavior follow‐up. Model 1 resulted in a direct effect of E on exercise behavior. Model 2 suggested a significantly better fit when direct effects of E's activity facet were freed for estimation. Moreover, freeing these effects rendered the effects of general E nonsignificant. It was concluded that the direct effect of E on exercise behavior found in previous research might be explained entirely by the activity facet of E.     

Are Religious Women More Likely to Have Breast Cancer Screening?

The study objective was to investigate whether women who frequently attend religious services are more likely to have breast cancer screening—mammography and clinical breast examinations—than other women. Multivariate logistic regression models show that white women who attended religious services frequently had more than twice the odds of breast cancer screening than white women who attended less frequently (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.61; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.12, 6.06). The behavior of white women was different from African American women (religious attendance-race interaction term p-value = 0.008); African American women who attended religious services frequently were possibly less likely to have breast cancer screening (OR 0.49; CI = 0.19–1.31).     

Why Susie sells seashells by the seashore: implicit egotism and major life decisions

Because most people possess positive associations about themselves, most people prefer things that are connected to the self (e.g., the letters in one's name). The authors refer to such preferences as implicit egotism. Ten studies assessed the role of implicit egotism in 2 major life decisions: where people choose to live and what people choose to do for a living. Studies 1-5 showed that people are disproportionately likely to live in places whose names resemble their own first or last names (e.g., people named Louis are disproportionately likely to live in St. Louis). Study 6 extended this finding to birthday number preferences. People were disproportionately likely to live in cities whose names began with their birthday numbers (e.g., Two Harbors, MN). Studies 7-10 suggested that people disproportionately choose careers whose labels resemble their names (e.g., people named Dennis or Denise are overrepresented among dentists). Implicit egotism appears to influence major life decisions. This idea stands in sharp contrast to many models of rational choice and attests to the importance of understanding implicit beliefs.