The Sixth Sense Reader

by David Howes (Editor)

What is the sixth sense? Is it physical, mental or spiritual? Do we all possess it or is it unique to exceptional individuals? Might there be a seventh sense and an eighth sense as well? What role does culture play in determining the range of our perceptual abilities? The search for a supplementary sense has taken many directions and yielded numerous possibilities for an "additional faculty" of perception - from magnetism and movement to dreaming and clairvoyance. Stimulating reflection and debate, The Sixth Sense Reader explores the cultural contexts which give rise to such reports of "psychic" and other powers that exceed the ordinary bounds of sense. In this groundbreaking volume, leading scholars in history, anthropology and biology take the reader on a tour of the far borderlands of consciousness. From the world beneath to the world beyond the five senses, every potential avenue of sensation is opened up for investigation.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Mick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A volume of papers on senses in addition to the commonly recognized five. Although most are anthropological in nature, there are also historical studies (on Mesmerism, Swedenborg, spiritualism, etc) and biology (Sheldrake).
Although I have been out of Anthropology for a while, I could still follow (for the most part), the academic papers herein. Which is not to say I really enjoyed them that much. Some were thought provoking, some were pretty wanky.
I did enjoy the Sheldrake paper. Though very unorthodox, his ideas don't seem flaky to me. But then again I am not a biologist.