William James’ stance on religious experience is one of the most influential contributions to the philosophy of religion. In his seminal work The Varieties of Religious Experience, James approaches religion not from the standpoint of theology, metaphysics, or institutional doctrine, but from the perspective of individual psychology and lived experience. For him, religion is primarily a matter of personal, inner experience rather than adherence to creeds or participation in organized rituals. He defines religion as “the feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine.” This definition reveals his focus on subjective consciousness and practical consequences rather than dogmatic truth claims. James’ philosophical approach is deeply influenced by his broader pragmatism, which evaluates ideas according to their practical effects and experiential outcomes. He is less concerned with whether religious experiences prove the objective existence of God and more interested in what these experiences do for individuals. If a religious experience transforms a person’s life, brings moral renewal, psychological healing, or existential meaning, then it has genuine significance. In this sense, truth is measured by “fruits, not roots.” The value of religious belief lies not in its rational demonstration but in its capacity to enrich life and resolve inner conflict. A central feature of James’ stance is his analysis of the characteristics of mystical experiences. He identifies four primary marks of mystical states: ineffability, noetic quality, transiency, and passivity. Ineffability means that such experiences cannot be adequately expressed in words; they must be directly felt. The noetic quality refers to the sense that mystical experiences convey profound knowledge or insight, even though this knowledge may not be logically articulated. Transiency indicates that these states are usually short-lived, and passivity suggests that individuals often feel as though they are grasped or overtaken by a higher power. Through this framework, James provides a phenomenological account of religious experience, analyzing how it appears to the subject rather than speculating about its metaphysical cause. James distinguishes between “healthy-minded” religion and the religion of the “sick soul.” Healthy-minded individuals view the world optimistically and emphasize the goodness of life and divine benevolence. Their