Philosophers studying consciousness have been expanding their horizons. Panpsychism, cosmopsychism, panentheism — ideas that once sat at the margins of analytic philosophy are now part of serious academic debate. But one perspective remains largely absent from the conversation: the testimony of mystics who claim direct experience of ultimate reality. Dr. Benedikt Paul Göcke, Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, and co-director Dr. Itay Shani, Professor of Philosophy, lead a project to bring mystical insight into dialogue with contemporary analytic philosophy.
A Legitimate Mode of Access
The guiding hypothesis is that mystical experience and mystical insight constitute a legitimate, philosophically analyzable mode of access to ultimate reality. Göcke, Shani, and their team draw on both Western and Indian traditions, combining analytic argumentation, conceptual clarification, cross-cultural comparison, and engagement with historical sources. The project asks two central questions: What insights about consciousness and mental reality can mystically oriented traditions contribute to ongoing debates in philosophy of mind? And how can mystically grounded accounts of ultimate reality inform cross-cultural discussions of panentheism and alternative concepts of God?
Expanding the Conversation
Activities include literature reviews, supervision of six research papers, the writing of a monograph, two international conferences, and the preparation of an edited volume. The anticipated impact is twofold: to expand the conceptual resources of analytic philosophy by legitimizing mystically informed inquiry, and to establish a cross-cultural dialogue that enriches philosophical reflection on consciousness, ultimate reality, and the divine. Göcke and Shani’s team aims to position mysticism as a rigorous and indispensable partner in the contemporary philosophical conversation — not a curiosity on the sidelines, but a source of knowledge in its own right.