Psychical Research and the Resurrection

It was scarcely a happy idea of Professor Hyslop's in giving the title of "Psychical Research and the Resurrection"' to his book. Except in the final chapter, the volume is not concerned with the question of the value of psychical research in strengthening belief in the doctrine of the resurrection; it is merely a collection of essays dealing with a variety of topics in the field which Professor Hyslop has been diligently cultivating for so many years. Probably the greatest interest...
More Description

It was scarcely a happy idea of Professor Hyslop's in giving the title of "Psychical Research and the Resurrection"' to his book. Except in the final chapter, the volume is not concerned with the question of the value of psychical research in strengthening belief in the doctrine of the resurrection; it is merely a collection of essays dealing with a variety of topics in the field which Professor Hyslop has been diligently cultivating for so many years. Probably the greatest interest attaches to the essays in which he reviews the communications alleged to have been received through several "mediums" from the "spirit" of the late Richard Hodgson, in his day a most expert detective of the supernatural. Professor Hyslop seems to entertain little doubt that he has been actually in touch with his departed colleague, although he emphatically disclaims the prevalent idea that, in matters of this sort, he is irretrievably committed to the spiritistic hypothesis. "I do not put it forward," he writes, "as anything more than a working hypothesis, and shall unhesitatingly abandon it if a better and simpler hypothesis can be obtained and supported by evidence." At the same time, it is not without interest to note that the particular hypothesis--the telepathic hypothesis--which many investigators regard as the only alternative explanation of the more striking psychical phenomena is vigorously attacked by Professor Hyslop. As we understand the matter, however, his conception of "telepathy" differs from that entertained by its advocates, so that his criticism of their application of it will probably have little effect on them. In fact, it is a great pity that he has seen fit to burden his pages with so much controversial material. Still, the book is undoubtedly useful to those who wish to keep abreast of the progress of psychical research in the United States.