Genre:

Abstract

Publications abstracted:

Frederic W H Myers Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research

Subjects:

Psychical Research, Theory, Analogy, Energy, Natural Law, Light, Electricity, Psychology

    A 'collection of well-authenticated ghost-stories' expounding the 'theory that apparitions are in reality the dreams of the dead men, and can be explained scientifically by the analogy of telepathy'. For Myers, 'a ghost is [...] a manifestation of persistent personal energy, or [...] a residue of the force or energy which the man generated while he was still alive'. At the end of his earthly life 'a man does not die altogether'. Rather, a 'certain shadowy semblance of himself lingers behind' and 'becomes visible to the eyes of mortals, as the slender filament of the incandescent lamp becomes luminous when the electricity is turned on'. Concludes that 'if Mr. Myers is right, we shall have to reconstruct the whole of our theory of personality'.