Explain the different challenges to religious experience.

You should approach this question by considering the main 4 challenges to religious experience - psychological explanations, physiological explanations, differences in interpretations and the notion of a religious experience being logically impossible. You could choose 2 and go into great detail using both for and against arguments, however, in my opinion, it would be more beneficial to use all 4 arguments, with less comparative reference as the question says 'explain' rather than 'explore.' Using philosophers for each challenge is key to A2 philosophy as it demonstrates your knowledge of the subject's key scholars. A very brief plan for this essay should look something like this:P1 - introduction - address the question and provide a clear-cut argument either for or against religious experience. P2 - psychological interpretation - FREUD (challenger) neurosis / childhood insecurities / desire for father figureP3 - physiological interpretation - meditating Buddhist monk study, 'casual operator' and 'holistic operator'P4 - JUNG'S challenge to the challenges - spiritual aspect of us is essential to psychological wholeness, supported by JAMESP5 - differences in interpretation - MARX (challenger) distraction from realityP6 - logically impossible - KANT limited to the empirical world P7 - conclusion - offer your own opinion with who you agree with. Potentially include C.D. BROAD’S analogy of the blind person evolving the capacity to see, but don't introduce a new idea in your conclusion! It depends on what stance you take on your essay - for the challenge or against it.