The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-31
SCIENCE AND TEE OCCULT.
An Eminent Speaker Believes in
Thought Reading.

AN Eminent speaker believes III
Thought Reading.
From the London Times.
The first meeting Of Section A, Mathe-
NAUTICAL ard Physical Science Association,
was held with Prof Oliver J. Lodge, D. Sc. !,
LII. D., F. r. S. in the chair. He said
1.-THE ordinary processes of observation
and experiment are establishing the truth
OF some phenomena not at present contem-
plated by science, and to which the ortho-
dox man shuts his ears For instance,
there is the question whether it has or has
not been established by direct experiment
that method of communication exists be-
tween mind and mind irrespective OF the
ordinary channels of CONSCIOUSNESS and the
known organs of sense, and if so, what is
the processi 1t can hardly be through
some uu SHOWN sense organ, but it may be
through some direct physical influence on
the other. or il may be In some still more
subtle manner For brevity il may be
styled thought trsnsference,' though the
name may turn out to be an unsuitable one
after further investigation.
Further investigation is just what is
wanted. There are individual scientific
men who have Investigated these matters
for themselves; there are Others who are
willing 10 receive evidence, who bold their
minds open and their judgment in suspense
but these are only individuals. The great
majority feel active hostility to these re-
searches and a determined opposition 70 the
reception or discussion Of evidence. "a few
tricks at puolic performance, or the srti-
noes OF some impostsr, Snd they decline to
consider the matter further Tbs field is
the borderland OF physics and psychology
the connection between life and energy, or
he connection between mind and matter.
by what means IS force exsrted, and
That, definitely, Is forest Thsre is here
something not provided for in the orthor-
dox scheme Of physics: modern physics is
not complies, and a line n possible advance
lies in this direction. Given that force can
be exeFted ~ al act Of will, do we under
stand the mechanism by which this is done!
And II there Is gap in our knowledge be-
tween the conscious idea Of s motion and
the liberation OF muscular energy needed to
accomplish it, how do we know that body
may not be moved without ordinary ma
terial contact by an act Of will!
1t Is familiar that thought may be ex-
cited IN the brain Of another person, trans
| ferred thither from our brain, by pulling a
suitable trigger, by liberating energy in the
form OF sound, for instance, or by the me-
chanlcal act OF writing, or In other ways.
A prearranged code called language and
material medium Of communication are the
recognized methods. May there not also be
an immaterial perhaps an ethereaD medium
OF communication
rs lt impossible that an idea can be
transferred from one person to another by a
process such as we have not yet grown &C
customed TO. and know practically nothing
abouti In this case l have evidence
assert that have seen it done, and am per
fectly convinced of the fact. Many others
are satisfied OF the truth of it, too. Why
must we speak Of it with bated breath, as Of
/ n Of fnh L.
Is sometimes objected that, granting
Observation-Disclosures or telegraphy to be a
| fact, 1t belongs more especially to lower
| forms OF life, and that as the cerebral hem
ispheres develop we become independent OF
| it; thst what we notice is the relic Of de-
caying faculty, not the germ of new and
fruitful sense, and that progress is not to be
made by studying or attending to it. 1t
may be that IL is an immature mode of COM
munication, adapted to lower stages Of
consciousness than ours, but how much can
we not learn by studying immature stagesi
ut may on the other hand, be- an indica-
| ton of a higher mode Of communication
which shall survive our temporary connec-
ton with ordinary matter | have spoken
OF the apparently direct action OF mind on
| mind, and OF a possible action of mind on
matter, but the whole region is unexplored
territory. and it is conceivable that matter
may react on mind in way we cali at pres
enV only dimly amagane. Ia fact, the bar
rler between the two may gradually melt
away, as so many other barriers have done,
and we may end in wider perception of
the unity of nature. such as philosophers
have already dresmt Of l care not what
the end may be. do care that the inquiry
shall be conducted by us, and that we shall
be free from the disgrace OF jogging along
accustomed roads, leaving to outsiders the
| WORK, the ridicule, and the qualification OF
unfolding new region to unwilling eyes. y