Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-08
CLEAR THINKING IS NEEDED
CLING TO COMMON SENSE
is ADVICE OF SCIENTIST
People Love to he Deceived By Pew
Geological Mysteries Wuh-s
out Questioning.
nY GARRETT l.. SEnvrss.


There never was a time, probably
when clear thinking, based on solid.
sensible ground, was more needed by
everybody than IT. Is today; yet occult
ism of every species has seldom been
more rife Even science may be ac-
cused or contributing. Internationally
and indirectly, a Few clouds 10 the OBJ
scuration OF the popular mind.
The arrival OF Einstcinisu. for in
stance, has been unfortunately timed.
EXACTLY when general faith in the cs-
iablished principles OF science was
most needed. here comes these upset
ting announcements and cpigramS
"hich are not the less effective be-
cause they arc totally unjustih.d such
proved erroneous" that Newton is
down and out" That The calculations
Used that these new discoveries are
tubVcrSivc OF the principles which
scientists have hitherto used" and that
tho true explanation Of the univerS Sc IL;
50 difficult that only about a dozen
wise men III the whole world can
rcaiiy under stand it.
Keep out Of Clouds.
advise everybody, except. or course.
experts who need no advice. 20 keep
mathematics and metaphysics apart, 10
heir scientific faith on things ;ha;
nave been and can be verified b. hu-
man experience, based on the knowl-
edge THAT comes through the only win
dove OF the soul that arc open To US
tho five senses. or whatever their real
number may bc-aud 10 refrain from
setting the feet on clouds.
And don't vaiuIy imagine that this
IS sTrcliEious or that 1t Is meant 70
dsny or oppose religious Ideas |; has
nothing 10 do with religion When /
'U to commune with God rise above
The world OF tho senses. II did not
tinsuieh;nG between the soul and the
add little observation from, another
-ide. that to which Oliver Lodge, ii IS
said. means % contribute some dark
ness during his visit to Atnerica--the
side Of "splritisn," Tho mats are full
OF letters retailing stories OF appari-
,ionA mystical forcwarninss., strange
.nisnatical performances % "ouiia
boards" etc. No published scientific
any other result than the discredi,;ng
OF them. In fact. am not certain
That any true scient!hG investigation
OF creepy stories. narratives. reports,
etc. OF the Society for Psychical Re
Sennres Usually Fixed.
have never attended "searce
~ssre genuine examination was not
ditions under which the performance
was. given. or BY exactcd pledges OF
or the apparatus coupled with inactive
acceptance OF everything that appears
20 happen.
aer is on all these proceedings. and
not .nfreGuently tho mark OF u-illful
blindness and sclf-deccption as we'll.
Why people love 10 BE- deceived * a
fathomlcss PSYCHOLOGICAL mystery. bu,
the fact Is that they do. and DO my
self. when it il for play, as in wit
wonder. But why should anybody wan,
20 be deceived about earnest things
Is it Kind OF opposite pole to tho
itnpr!se which makes the traditional
ostrich hide its head in the sand 10
avoid approaching danger
Restrictions Foolish.
hs rss'TS'sans imposed anon sG
phenomena" beg The whole question
and make such investigation irnprac-
ticablc from the start. Something ls
assumed which Is the very subject Of
proof. For instance 1t ~ avcr-ed that
the spirits are unable TO work except
when the room is darkcned. where
by the sight OF The observer is render
ed Partially ineffective. I, is signih-
cart that the protests against this
restriction seem finally to have had An
trois." for in the later scanccs they
nave learned 20 operate under de-
gree OF illumination that would
formerly have been called p-ohibitivc
Apparently the science OF optics has
been looking UP tho world OF the ais
embodied spirits. The skill OF than
. u ~ .iu SieiS"t- % rama men,
II Is interesting TO remark. has shown
similar development since the car
Her days. when spectators were less
critically observant.
hnothcr point 10 be kept in mind
ia this: the character OF the messages
1aid to bc received from the dead is
zach that whatever scif-containcd
PROOF Of ErnuincDcss they may pos
Scss. is evident only to the recipient
and. from its nature cannot be tested
by others. This very intimacy" OF
the alleged communications invali-
dates them as scientific evidence, and
yet ny Lodge and others tell us that
~ should be regarded ~ their best
claim to acceptance. And that, roo
when there is no confirmation, and
no possibility OF confirmation. Of ;he
recipients statement tina; tho reveta-
tions arc OF such nature that thev
could only come from formerly in
Sa-nate intelliScnccs."
Hold fast 10 your common sensei