Seeing the unseen, hearing the unsaid

Hallucinations, psychology and St Thomas Aquinas

Bibliographic Data

ID19504767
AuthorsSimon McCarthy‐Jones (0000-0003-4442-7818, Durham University, corresponding author), Simon McCarthy-Jones
Year2011
Volume14
Issue4
Pages353-369
Publication date2011-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMental Health Religion & Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1367-4676 • E-ISSN: 1469-9737
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13674671003745870
OpenAlexW2084109676
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited6

Psychologists referring to St Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) in the context of hallucinations have neither accurately portrayed his conceptions of such experiences nor critically examined his alleged personal experience of them. This paper first examines Aquinas’ conception of what are termed “hallucinations.” It is shown that he allowed both natural and supernatural explanations for such experiences, with both accounts acknowledging an underlying physical cause. Contrasting explanations for his alleged personal experience of hallucinations are examined, including a new “Chestertonian” interpretation. Critiques of the use of his canonisation documents as factual evidence are also considered. It is concluded that Aquinas had a sophisticated understanding of hallucinations, and although it is fundamentally unknowable whether he actually experienced a hallucination, nevertheless, the approach we take to understanding his experience is of importance. The implications of Aquinas for interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and psychology in the field of hallucinations are then examined

Epistemology · Linguistics · Psychoanalysis · Unsaid · Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies · History · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophy · Psychedelics and Drug Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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