The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-03-27
SIR OLIVER LODGE
AMERICAN PROFESSOR EXPLAINS
THEORIES OF ENGLISH SClEN-
TIST-SHAM AND NONSENSE
IDENTIFIED By THOUGHTLESS.

Prof. Jastrow, since 1888, head Of
the psychology department of Wiscon-
sin University, writes:
ut must not be supposed that the
silence of American men of science in
regard to the announcement of Sir
Oliver Lodge implies any measure of
approval of his conclusions as to the
evidence for survival The psycholo-
gists are called upon to consider the
irregular habits of the mind. Through
all ages people have believed in the
survival of the personality on the
basis of communications from the de-
parted; the attempt to demonstrate
the matter by knocks. and raps and,
spirit forms and the revelations Of
mediums is an American invention,
about seventy years old.
Such phenomena have been re-
peatedly investigated and have been
universally found to be STEPPED in
fraud and the tricks of dubious
trade. They count upon the credulity
of people when the wish to believe is
strong.
1.-THE tricks and devices by which
tables may be moved and tamborines
ratified and states written upon and
sealed messages read, are common
property of those who care to read
how they are done.
But the main reason why people
believe in survival is because persons
of distinction and sound training have
Endorsed the evidence. That is the
argument from prestige, which nat:
urally and properly has great weight.
1t is the deserved prestige, of Sir
Oliver Lodge as physician, that car
ries over to his personal belief in the
genuineness of spirit manifestations.
AS a fact the operations of his mind
in the physical laboratory move in one
manner, and in his reaction to the
communications of mediums behave
in altogether different fashion. 1t is
totally unwarranted to accredit his
personal views with the weight of his
reputation as a physicist.
$50 far as psychologists of stand
| ing go, it may be said that with very
few exceptions, they have nothing but
severe condemnation for the position
which Sir Oliver takes in these mat
ters. Naturally few have been called
upon to place their views on record.
president G.. Stanley Hall, of
Clark University, has investigated all
sorts of mediums and finds fraud and
everywhere. Prof. Coover, of Stan
ford University, has devoted years of
patient investigation to the matter
under the Stanford bequest for such
research His conclusions are totally
negative.
Nor must 1t be supposed that Sir
Oliver has not been answered in his
own country. Sir Edward Clodd,
banker and anthropologist, has de-
voted volume to the complete refu-
tation of such mystic views, and has
called Sir Oliver to account for
spreading darkness and superstition.
'In the interests of social sanity, as
we'll as in the name of sound science,
it is important to make it plain that
the men of science, psychologists, and
all others who have concern for the
logic of right thinking, regard the po-
sition of Sir Oliver as a personal mat
ter without scientific standing.
For Sir Oliver, as the representa-
tive of British science, we have the
most cordial welcome and respect; for
the advocate of survival on evidence
that is stepped in fraud and is full of
childish irrevelance, we cannot have
any other feeling than that of the duty
to counterfeit his influence"