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The Survival of Man: A Study in Unrecognised Human Faculty
'The author's conviction of man's survival of bodily death - a conviction based on a large range of natural facts - is well known; and in this volume some idea can be gained as to the most direct and immediate kind of foundation on which in the future he considers that this belief will in due course be scientifically established.'
314 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1909
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About the author
Oliver Lodge
474 books10 followersSir Oliver Joseph Lodge, FRS was a physicist and writer involved in the development of key patents in wireless telegraphy. Lodge, in his Royal Institution lectures ("The Work of Hertz and Some of His Successors"), coined the term "coherer." He gained the "syntonic" (or tuning) patent from the United States Patent Office in 1898.
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August 14, 2024
LODGE'S MAIN WORK ON HUMAN IMMORTALITY
Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge (1851-1940) was a British physicist, and a Christian Spiritualist who was a member of `The Ghost Club' and served as president of the London-based Society for Psychical Research from 1901 to 1903. After his son, Raymond, was killed in World War I in 1915, he visited several mediums and wrote about the experience in books such as 'Raymond: Or Life and Death.' He wrote other books such as 'Man and the universe,' 'Reason and Belief,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1909 book, "The author's conviction of man's survival of bodily death---a conviction based on a large range of natural facts---is well known; and in this volume some idea can be gained as to the most direct and immediate kind of foundation on which in the future he considers that this belief will in due course be scientifically established. The author gives an account of many of his investigations into matters connected with psychical research during the last quarter of a century... for in this department of the subject he considers that the most direct evidence for continued personal existence and posthumous activity will most likely be found."
He suggests, "An attitude of keen and critical inquiry must continually be maintained, and in that sense any amount of scepticism is not only legitimate but necessary. The kind of scepticism I deprecate is not that which sternly questions and rigorously probes, it is rather that which confidently asserts and dogmatically denies..." (Pg. 96)
After drawing an analogy between telegraphy and telepathy, he states, "the first impression of a spectator or critic, that telepathy is a physiological process effected direct between brain and brain, may not be the correct one... it is hardly likely that in telepathy we have a process which is easily and quickly intelligible; nor is it in the least certain that the mode of transmission can be stated in terms of matter. Perhaps it cannot be stated even in terms of ether. The whole idea or imagery of space-relations in respect of mind may be misleading." (Pg. 127)
About one session with a medium, he admits, "Undoubtedly therefore the hypothesis of thought-transference has to be wriggled and stretched a little; though we may be willing to stretch it to any required length, so long as it does not actually snap." (Pg. 226) He concedes, "Scattered through all the sittings are innumerable instances ... of curious memory of and interest in trifles... Every experienced sitter knows that such references are the commonest of all. What is the explanation?... it would appear that the state after death is not a sudden plunge into a stately, dignified, and specially religious atmosphere... it appears to involve something less than full consciousness." (Pg. 285)
He also observes, "We find deceased friends---some of them well known to us and active members of the Society while alive... constantly purporting to communicate, with the express purpose of patiently proving their identity... Not easily or early do we make this admission. In spite of long conversations with what purported to be the surviving intelligence of these friends and investigators, we were by no means convinced of their identity..." (Pg. 340)
Lodge's writings were "key" to the Psychical Research/Spiritualist movement, and should be studied by anyone interested in this era.
Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge (1851-1940) was a British physicist, and a Christian Spiritualist who was a member of `The Ghost Club' and served as president of the London-based Society for Psychical Research from 1901 to 1903. After his son, Raymond, was killed in World War I in 1915, he visited several mediums and wrote about the experience in books such as 'Raymond: Or Life and Death.' He wrote other books such as 'Man and the universe,' 'Reason and Belief,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1909 book, "The author's conviction of man's survival of bodily death---a conviction based on a large range of natural facts---is well known; and in this volume some idea can be gained as to the most direct and immediate kind of foundation on which in the future he considers that this belief will in due course be scientifically established. The author gives an account of many of his investigations into matters connected with psychical research during the last quarter of a century... for in this department of the subject he considers that the most direct evidence for continued personal existence and posthumous activity will most likely be found."
He suggests, "An attitude of keen and critical inquiry must continually be maintained, and in that sense any amount of scepticism is not only legitimate but necessary. The kind of scepticism I deprecate is not that which sternly questions and rigorously probes, it is rather that which confidently asserts and dogmatically denies..." (Pg. 96)
After drawing an analogy between telegraphy and telepathy, he states, "the first impression of a spectator or critic, that telepathy is a physiological process effected direct between brain and brain, may not be the correct one... it is hardly likely that in telepathy we have a process which is easily and quickly intelligible; nor is it in the least certain that the mode of transmission can be stated in terms of matter. Perhaps it cannot be stated even in terms of ether. The whole idea or imagery of space-relations in respect of mind may be misleading." (Pg. 127)
About one session with a medium, he admits, "Undoubtedly therefore the hypothesis of thought-transference has to be wriggled and stretched a little; though we may be willing to stretch it to any required length, so long as it does not actually snap." (Pg. 226) He concedes, "Scattered through all the sittings are innumerable instances ... of curious memory of and interest in trifles... Every experienced sitter knows that such references are the commonest of all. What is the explanation?... it would appear that the state after death is not a sudden plunge into a stately, dignified, and specially religious atmosphere... it appears to involve something less than full consciousness." (Pg. 285)
He also observes, "We find deceased friends---some of them well known to us and active members of the Society while alive... constantly purporting to communicate, with the express purpose of patiently proving their identity... Not easily or early do we make this admission. In spite of long conversations with what purported to be the surviving intelligence of these friends and investigators, we were by no means convinced of their identity..." (Pg. 340)
Lodge's writings were "key" to the Psychical Research/Spiritualist movement, and should be studied by anyone interested in this era.
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