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The Demons of William James

Religious Pragmatism Explores Unusual Mental States

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

Authors:
  1. Tadd Ruetenik

    1. Saint Ambrose University, Davenport, IA, USA

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  • Blends historical context with current practices of demonology, exorcism
  • Engages the concept of demonology, considering how alien possession becomes a contemporary form of demon possession
  • Much like demon possession, it is a book of many voices residing in one body

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
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  2. James Family Vastation

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 1-25

  3. Pragmatism and Demonology: Circumscription of the Topic

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 27-39

  4. Piper, Salem, and the Communal Demonic

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 41-65

  5. Contemporary Mediums and the Return of William James

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 67-89

  6. The Varieties of Demonic Experience: A Study in Quasi-Human Nature

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 91-117

  7. Embraced by the Demon: The Perils of Immediate Experience

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 119-132

  8. The “Cruel” Death of William James

    • Tadd Ruetenik
    Pages 133-157

  9. Back Matter

    Pages 159-169
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Keywords

About this book

This book is a psychological exploration of unusual minds, a religious exploration of demonological myth, and a philosophical exploration of the reaches of pragmatism. It uses topics such as hypnotism, mediumship, and mass possession to argue for a comprehensive understanding of the demonic that acknowledges not only the creativity which it encourages, but also the danger it can bring. Professor Ruetenik uses James’ religious pragmatism to evaluate the relevance of psychical research, and to explain common beliefs regarding demons, spirits, and other controlling personalities.

The conclusion of this interdisciplinary research is as alarming as it is fascinating: When exploring the demons of William James, we discover that ordinary personality cannot be clearly separated from what we consider the demonic.

Reviews

“Ruetenik accomplished his goal of revealing the ambiguous nature of the demon, … the interdisciplinary approach makes it more accessible. I would recommend it to anyone interested in religious experiences, James, or Spiritualism in general.” (Courtney Lacy, Reading Religion, readingreligion.org, May 22, 2019)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Saint Ambrose University, Davenport, IA, USA

    Tadd Ruetenik

About the author

Tadd Ruetenik is Professor of Philosophy at St. Ambrose University, USA.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Demons of William James

  • Book Subtitle: Religious Pragmatism Explores Unusual Mental States

  • Authors: Tadd Ruetenik

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91623-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-91622-4Published: 16 July 2018

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-06269-9Published: 12 January 2019

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-91623-1Published: 04 July 2018

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: IX, 169

  • Topics: Pragmatism, Religion and Psychology, Religion and Society

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