On The Threshold Of The Unseen PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII THE CANONS OF EVIDENCE IN PSYCHICAL RESEARCH "Nothing can destroy the evidence of testimony in any case but a proof or probability that persons are not competent judges of the facts to which they give testimony, or that they are actually under some indirect influence in giving it in such particular case. Till this is made out the testimony must be admitted."--Bishop Butler.1 It is more or less unlikely that those who have never witnessed any of the phenomena we have been discussing will be able to believe in them fully or at all. A natural and proper reservation of mind always accompanies the reception of evidence which is opposed to the general experience of mankind. Even Sir W. Crookes writes that, in recalling the details of what he witnessed, he finds an antagonism in his mind between his reason on the one hand, and on the other the evidence of his 1 "Analogy," part II, chap. 7. senses, corroborated as it was by that of other witnesses who were present. Yet, as Reid states in his essay on "Mind," and as jurists know, no counsel would venture to offer as an argument that we ought not to put faith in the sworn testimony of trustworthy eyewitnesses because what they assert is incredible; few judges would listen to such pleading. But, in spite of all logic, we are conscious that "Events may be so extraordinary that they hardly can be established by testimony. We should not give credit to a man who should affirm that he saw an hundred dice thrown in the air ar.d they all fell on the same faces. If we had ourselves been spectators of such an event, we should not believe our own eyes till we had scrupulously examined all the circumstances, and assured ourselves that there was no trick or deception. After such an examination we...