Abstract
MAY I enter an emphatic protest against the notion insinuated both by Mr. Wells and Prof. Karl Pearson, that “Psychical Researchers” are a sort of sect engaged in spiritualistic or other propaganda? Most people, I am afraid, fight shy of psychical research, either because they are afraid that if there is anything in it it is the devil, or because they have a scientific reputation which they are afraid of losing. I do not know to which category Mr. Wells belongs, but apparently he fails to understand that in order to make out a case against psychical research he has got to show, not that the existence of telepathy and clairvoyance has not been proved, but that there is not even a prima facie case worth investigating. When we remember that ten years ago “mesmerism” was included along with telepathy and clairvoyance, we shall not attach much importance to such efforts to stifle inquiry. Even if the result should be to confirm Mr. Wells's anticipation, and show that all the coincidences that have been reported can be explained away as mistakes or misstatements, the inquiry will yet have been worth the labour bestowed on it, if only as affording a measure of the value of testimony to the miraculous. And if this comes to pass, the bigots of science will be ready enough to claim a share in the work, if only by saying, “I told you so!”
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DIXON, E. Peculiarities of Psychical Research. Nature 51, 200 (1894). https://doi.org/10.1038/051200a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/051200a0
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