Bloomsbury Academic Philosophical Mysticism in Plato, Hegel, and the Present

Explore the connection between major philosophical thought and the concept of direct knowledge. Philosophical Mysticism in Plato, Hegel, and the Present examines the claim that humans possess direct access to a higher or more inner reality or God. While many modern academics overlook this connection, this work argues that influential thinkers like Plato, G. W. F. Hegel, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Alfred North Whitehead were all philosophical mystics. This book traces the development of major versions of philosophical mysticism, starting with the foundational ideas of Plato. It provides a framework for understanding how the concept of a higher reality can connect various fields of study. By looking through this lens, readers can see how nature, freedom, science, ethics, and the arts work together. The text also explores the possibility of a rational religion-in-the-making, offering a unique perspective on how ancient and modern thought intersect with spiritual reality.