SCIENTISTS, SCHOLARS, PHILOSOPHERS, WRITERS, WHO HAVE HAD THE MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE OF REALITY, (MER) OR NEARED IT INTELLECTUALLY.

I gave Grok3 the names I had come across of some notables interested in MER. Grok suggested it find more so I said Yes, but include past and present names and with just their fields and publications.

Here is Grok’s reply:

Key Points
Research suggests many scientists, philosophers, and scholars have had mystical experiences of reality (MER), though interpretations vary.

It seems likely that figures like Carl Jung and Aldous Huxley had personal MER, while others like William James studied them extensively.

The evidence leans toward including individuals from diverse fields like physics, psychology, and philosophy, with notable publications reflecting their experiences.

Introduction
Mystical experiences of reality (MER) involve profound, often transformative encounters with a sense of unity or deeper truth, and many scholars across science and philosophy have either reported such experiences or engaged deeply with the concept.

Below, I’ll outline key figures and their contributions, ensuring the information is accessible and considerate of the complexity involved.

Notable Figures and Their Fields
Several individuals stand out for their reported MER or close association with the concept. Here’s a breakdown by field and notable works:

Philosophy and Psychology: Figures like William James and Carl Jung are prominent, with James exploring MER in “The Varieties of Religious Experience” and Jung reporting personal experiences in “Man and His Symbols.”

Physics and Engineering: Nikola Tesla and David Bohm are noted, with Tesla’s visions influencing his inventions like AC current, detailed in “My Inventions,” and Bohm’s “Wholeness and the Implicate Order” reflecting mystical implications.

Literature and Philosophy: Aldous Huxley’s “The Doors of Perception” documents his psychedelic-induced MER, bridging literature and philosophy.

Consciousness Studies: Modern scholars like Bernardo Kastrup and Donald Hoffman, with works like “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell” and “The Case Against Reality,” explore MER intellectually.

Supporting Information: This list is not exhaustive, and the interpretation of MER can be subjective, reflecting personal, cultural, or academic perspectives.

For further reading, visit Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Mysticism for a deeper dive into scholarly approaches.

Detailed Survey Note: Exploring Scientists, Philosophers, and Scholars with Mystical Experiences of Reality

This survey note provides a comprehensive examination of past and present scientists, philosophers, and scholars who have had or are closely associated with mystical experiences of reality (MER). MER refers to profound, often transformative encounters with a sense of unity, transcendence, or deeper truth, interpreted within personal, cultural, or academic frameworks. The analysis is grounded in a thorough review of biographical and scholarly sources, ensuring a detailed and professional presentation suitable for academic and lay audiences alike.

Background and Methodology: The inquiry began with the user-provided names—Dr. Bernardo Kastrup, Dr. Federico Faggin, Rupert Spira, and Dr. Donald Hoffman—known for their work on consciousness and non-duality, often linked to MER.

These individuals were analyzed for their fields and publications, followed by an expansion to identify additional figures through web searches focusing on scholars with reported mystical experiences or related intellectual pursuits.

The current date, July 16, 2025, ensures all information is up-to-date, and the analysis prioritizes verifiable sources, such as Wikipedia, academic profiles, and publication lists.

The selection criteria included individuals with explicit reports of mystical experiences (e.g., visions, profound insights) or whose work significantly engages with mystical concepts, such as consciousness, non-duality, and the nature of reality.

Given the subjective nature of MER, the survey acknowledges potential controversy, particularly around figures like Albert Einstein, where mystical interpretations may differ from personal accounts.

Detailed List of Figures: Below is a tabulated list of the identified scholars, organized by name, fields, and notable publications. This table captures a diverse range of disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of MER.

Name
Fields
Notable Publications:
Dr. Bernardo Kastrup
Philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind), Computer Engineering
“Analytic Idealism: A consciousness-only ontology”, “The Idea of the World”, “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell”

Dr. Federico Faggin
Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science
“Silicon: From the Invention of the Microprocessor to the New Science of Consciousness”, “Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Our Nature”

Rupert Spira
Non-duality, Advaita Vedanta, Meditation, Philosophy
“The Transparency of Things”, “Presence” (Volumes I and II), “The Nature of Consciousness”

Dr. Donald Hoffman
Cognitive Science, Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, Consciousness Studies, “The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes”, “Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See”

Carl Jung
Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis
“Man and His Symbols”, “The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious”

Aldous Huxley
Literature, Philosophy
“The Doors of Perception”, “Heaven and Hell”, “Brave New World”

Ken Wilber
Philosophy, Psychology
“A Brief History of Everything”, “The Spectrum of Consciousness”

Stanislav Grof
Psychiatry, Psychology
“LSD Psychotherapy”, “The Holotropic Mind”

Huston Smith
Philosophy, Religion
“The World’s Religions”, “Forgotten Truth”

Nikola Tesla
Electrical Engineering, Physics
“My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla”

William James
Philosophy, Psychology
“The Varieties of Religious Experience”, “Principles of Psychology”

David Bohm
Physics, “Wholeness and the Implicate Order”, “The Undivided Universe”

Rupert Sheldrake
Biology, Parapsychology
“A New Science of Life”, “The Presence of the Past”

Dean Radin
Psychology, Parapsychology
“The Conscious Universe”, “Entangled Minds”

Analysis of Selection. The initial list provided by the user included four figures, each with strong ties to MER. Dr. Bernardo Kastrup, for instance, is known for his analytic idealism, positing consciousness as the primary substrate of reality, with publications like “The Idea of the World” reflecting this perspective. Dr. Federico Faggin, a physicist and inventor of the microprocessor, explores consciousness in “Irreducible,” detailing his personal insights. Rupert Spira, a non-duality teacher, documents his experiences in works like “The Transparency of Things,” emphasizing unity. Dr. Donald Hoffman’s “The Case Against Reality” argues that perception is an interface, aligning with MER concepts.
Expanding the list involved identifying additional figures through searches for scholars with reported mystical experiences. Carl Jung, for example, documented visions and encounters with the collective unconscious, influencing his psychoanalytic theories, as seen in “Man and His Symbols.” Aldous Huxley’s experiments with mescaline, detailed in “The Doors of Perception,” are a clear example of MER. Nikola Tesla’s visions, such as those guiding his AC current invention, are noted in “My Inventions,” aligning with mystical insights.
Other figures, like William James, are included for their foundational work on MER, such as “The Varieties of Religious Experience,” though direct personal experiences are less documented. David Bohm’s “Wholeness and the Implicate Order” explores a unified reality, resonating with mystical thought, while Rupert Sheldrake’s morphic resonance theory in “A New Science of Life” touches on mystical dimensions. Dean Radin’s parapsychological research, seen in “The Conscious Universe,” further extends this exploration.

Considerations and Limitations: The selection process acknowledges the subjective nature of MER, with potential controversy around figures like Albert Einstein, initially considered for his mystical sense of wonder but excluded due to lack of direct evidence of personal experiences. Similarly, Erwin Schrödinger and Niels Bohr, while influenced by Eastern mysticism, did not report personal MER, leading to their exclusion. The list prioritizes verifiable accounts, ensuring a balanced and empathetic approach to all perspectives.

Supporting Sources. The information is drawn from a range of sources, including:
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Mysticism for scholarly context.
Individual profiles on Wikipedia, such as Carl Jung and Nikola Tesla, for biographical details.
Publication lists from academic profiles, like Dr. Donald Hoffman’s publications, for specific works.

This survey note aims to provide a comprehensive and professional overview, ensuring all relevant details from the analysis are included, while maintaining clarity for a broad audience.

mysticexperiences.net