The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-11

| the expectations OIL Selenllnc hheh SeH-
orally.
Professor Muensterberg is professor of
psychology in Harvard university: he
| long ago attacked experimental psychol-
| ogy for it's failure TO keep its promises to
the public and realizes today that unless
lit does something for the larger issues
OF life IL Is doomed, and in that the pres
ent writer agrees with him; Re is not
hastily going 10 announce his conversion
to miracles after two miserable seances,
when the respectable and aesthetic public
cannot stand the shock of believing that
spirits can move tables or use peasant
woman's leg for patting you ON the
shoulder
Years ago he said it was undignified to
attend seances. He overcame his pre1u-
dice In this instance, but readers or MS
article will detect how great the struggle
with himself to do so. II was miracle
| TO suppose that you could storm the
scientific man by such performances as
have gone on in this city for several
months. That kind Of method only puts
him on guard, and he cannot be very
much blamed IL he plays part which
some would characterize as hypocrisy
and cowardice but which in our sem
sation mongering public is only a legiti-
mate mode of defense and protection Oh
scientific method.
When even telling the truth to our
democratic ignorance only results III ere
ating illusions 1t Is at least natural 10
reserve from it all but what VIII hoid
| 1t at bay. The natural instinct on inc
part of a man with reputation to sus-
| tain is to see that he is much better mis-
understood on the respectable than upon
the unpopular. side of a subject. These
are motives that will always prevail Ill
our university systems. They are not
based upon missionary objects, but upon
panderiHg to the respectable public. Ihey
must not lose students, and the nstruc-
tors must not lose their bread. They
are not consciously moved in many cases
by any such motives as may be implied
| in such statements.
The more intelligent men adjust them
selves to the responsibility of their en-
vironment and raise no questions as to
| its reform. But they are keenly sensi-
tive to the conditions which mark out an
acceptable vocation, and we must not
expect the university professors to yield
easily to the claims of spritualsm.
That would only result in loss of
reputation and influence with a public
| that needs education, but sits as a final
judge of truth. I know this situation
| thoroughly, for / spent twenty years of
my life in 1t, and obtained no adequate
/
| out of it. The gods would not allow me
| to work or to keep my health until
was emancipated from the original neg
| leet of large problems in university life.
| | am, therefore, not INDUCING my
| imaginations in thus describing the sit
uation, which defines the environment de-
| termining the lines of prudence for men
| in the place of Professor Muensterberg.
| | am only summarizing twenty years of
| experience right in that field 1T is con-
| sequenty a mistake TO expect Professor
| Muensterberg or any one OF his standing
| to accept miracles after two sittings
with a psychic whose phenomena UNI
doubtedly lend themselves to every an
| tagonistic view. Responsibility, preju-
dice and scientific reputation are all on
the same side. Every circumstance of
! environment and personal interest are on
| the side of agreeing with the respect
ables. 1t would cost much to do other
wise, and the fear of ridicule is more
| potent than the love of truth.
| do not deny that there are many who
are open minded and ready to accept any
| truth whatever But they must have re-
| spect for the methods of science, which
| will always be more exacting than the
| impulsive masses who, even though they
| are correct in their conclusions on
| smaller amount of evidence, do not I'M
| derstand how to protect themselves
| against illusions Professional honor and
| duty to scientific method make the aca-
demic men most cautious, and rightly
| SO In many cases he is to be criticised
| mere for his lack of insight than he is
| for his patience and cautiousness In an
| nouncing his conclusion. But when all
allowance is made for this there is
very large number of the class that
| neither deserve nor receive this apology
| for their attitude on the subject, TOO
many of them are subject to the in
duences which ally them on the side of
safety, rather than on the side of the
| truth.
There is not any claim in the universe
| which cannot be denied or doubted in
some way No man needs to be con-
| WINGED of anything if he wishes to resist
/ argument Most of the stuff that passes
| as scepticism is simple obstinacy or lg-
| norance, and it is mistake to suppose
| that we owe it the duty of refutation'
we require only to go on about our busi-
ness accommodating facts for the CEN
| turtles. and when the present generation
| is in its grave the next will nave more
| intelligence. M
pride has as much to do with man
| sceptioism as it has with his peiiefs, ana
VIC must never forget that argument Is
not the only weapon of conversion. the
scientific man will often yield to popular
oninion. even among the plobs, especially
when his position is at stake, when he
would not surrender to logic Our duty,
| then. Is to keep steadily at work, fndif=
ferent alike to believer and doubter.
| do not understand why the pubic
should attach any value to the opinion
of Prof. Muensterberg, after ms own
confession that he is not quallf1ed 10
| investigate such cases as Eusapla
Palladino. That is his own statement
in the Metropolitan article, and he took
the same position years ago. quite
agree. with him in this judgment He
has not Investigated any aspect of the
subject whatever and is no more quail
fled to pass judgment on it's claims
| until he has personally investigated
| for a long time. than has any school
/ boy to usurp the place of an oracle in
psychology.
| If he had devoted years to the study
of these questions, I might speak more
| respectfully of him, but on his own
confession I am not entitled to expect
any reputable opinion from him. ~ he
| is not qualified to express an opinion
for the subject he is no better quail
| fed to speak against 1t. This fear on
the part OF psychic researchers regard
ing his authority is not well founded.
have no doubt that many will believe
all that he says. On this subject
prsiudices are divided and certain types
of mind would not be converted by any
argument or great name. They Will
cling to the scepticism until respecta-
bility overcomes 1t.
Few people are converted by facts or
arguments They remain in suspense
until the slow work of ages has created
suitable environment for an idea to