Religion

Programme 2nd Year

Aldous Huxley had complex and evolving views on religion. Throughout his life, he engaged with various religious and philosophical ideas and explored spirituality from a critical and open-minded perspective. Here are some key aspects of Huxley’s thoughts on religions:

• Interest in Spirituality
  Huxley was deeply interested in spirituality and mysticism. He explored a wide range of spiritual traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and various mystical and contemplative practices. He was drawn to the idea that spirituality could provide individuals with a deeper understanding of themselves and the universe.
• The Perennial Philosophy
  One of Huxley’s most significant works on religion and spirituality is “The Perennial Philosophy“, published in 1945. In this book, he argued that there is a common thread of spiritual truth running through various religious and philosophical traditions. He believed that different religions contained valuable insights into the nature of reality and the human experience.
• Critique of Dogma and Organized Religion
  While Huxley was open to the spiritual and mystical aspects of religion, he was critical of the dogmatic and institutional aspects of organized religion. He believed that religious institutions often hindered genuine spiritual exploration and personal growth by imposing rigid doctrines and hierarchies.
• Religion as a Source of Inspiration
  Huxley saw religion, at its best, as a source of inspiration and a means of promoting ethical and moral values. He acknowledged that religious traditions had played a role in shaping human culture and ethics throughout history.
• Mystical Experience
  Huxley believed that mystical experiences, often facilitated by practices like meditation and the use of psychedelics, could provide individuals with profound insights into the nature of reality and the unity of all existence. He saw these experiences as a direct connection to the divine or transcendent.
• Search for Meaning
  Throughout his writings, Huxley grappled with questions of meaning and purpose in life. He believed that religion and spirituality could offer answers to these existential questions and help individuals find a sense of meaning and fulfillment.
• Personal Exploration
  Huxley personally explored various spiritual and mystical practices, including the use of psychedelics like mescaline and LSD. His essay “The Doors of Perception” describes his experiences with mescaline and reflects on the potential of such substances to provide insights into the nature of reality and consciousness.

In summary, Aldous Huxley’s views on religion were characterized by a deep interest in spirituality and mysticism, a belief in the universality of spiritual truths, a critique of institutionalized religion, and a personal quest for meaning and transcendence. His exploration of these themes is evident in his writings, essays, and philosophical works.

Reading for next lecture

– Relevant essays volumes IV-VI

Book list

Complete Essays Volume IV

(Ivan R. Dee)
In this fourth installment of a planned six-volume collection, Aldous Huxley expresses profound concerns regarding the trajectory of history during the late 1930s, a period marked by the looming specter of a second global war. Throughout this volume, many of his essays delve into his enduring fascination with popular culture’s conventions, as well as the interplay between philosophy, science, and history, particularly in relation to their influence on developments in the realms of art and politics. Yet, his overarching preoccupations oscillate between the realms of empirical science and the intricate tapestry of social history on one hand, and a relentless quest for an absolute truth that transcends them both.

Within these pages, Huxley’s critical examination extends to the political landscape and the prevailing ideologies of fascism and capitalism, all the while intertwining with his pursuit of a foundational truth in a world characterized by constant change and diversity. Notably, he embraced a brand of political pacifism that intersected with a growing attraction to religious quietism and mysticism. Simultaneously, he undertook a concerted effort to reconcile mystical experiences with contemporary theories of physics and the philosophy of science.

At their zenith, Huxley’s essays represent some of the most exceptional examples of the genre in modern literature. This collection is deemed a remarkable publishing event, distinguished by its meticulous production and authoritative editing.

Complete Essays Volume V

(Ivan R. Dee)
Within this penultimate volume, Huxley persists in his examination of the place of science and technology within contemporary society. Simultaneously, he embarks on a quest for the ultimate and definitive Truth that could serve as the bedrock for his burgeoning fascination with religious mysticism. It is within this period that his philosophy of history attains its conclusive shape and substance.

In their most refined manifestations, Huxley’s essays continue to shine as exemplary instances of the genre within modern literature.

Complete Essays Volume VI

(Ivan R. Dee)
In this culminating and final volume of Huxley’s essays, we witness the culmination of what critics have hailed as “an extraordinary publishing achievement, meticulously crafted and expertly curated.” Within these pages, Huxley offers his ultimate evaluation of contemporary society. Returning to the themes that underpinned his dystopian masterpiece, “Brave New World,” he delves into a wide spectrum of contemporary subjects, ranging from ecology, sociobiology, and psychology to politics, history, and religion. His deep-seated concerns about the challenges posed by modernity permeate his writings.

This volume also features Huxley’s ultimate contemplation on the intersection of art and religion in “Shakespeare and Religion,” along with the inclusion of two recently discovered essays on science, technology, and the complexities of “modern life.” Volume VI additionally stands as a notable entry into Huxley’s engagement with the C. P. Snow/F. R. Leavis controversy surrounding the “two cultures.” During the early 1960s, the relationship between science and the humanities was a fiercely debated topic, drawing the participation of luminaries such as Lionel Trilling and scientists like J. Robert Oppenheimer. Huxley’s response to this discourse was “Literature and Science,” his final book, which serves as a summative expression of his theories on art and culture.

As one of the last prominent public intellectuals of the modernist era, Huxley’s essays present a reframing of modern cultural history in all its multifaceted dimensions.