On the Threshold of the Unseen: An Examination of the Phenomena of Spiritualism and of the Evidence for Survival After Death

by William Fletcher Barrett

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366 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2012

About the author

Sir William Fletcher Barrett (February 10, 1844 - May 26, 1925) was Professor of Physics at the Royal College of Science for Dublin from 1873-1910 and one of the distinguished early psychical researchers. He was instrumental in the founding of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) in 1882, serving as vice-president and editor of the Society’s Journal during its first year and he became president in 1904. He also encouraged Professor William James of Harvard to organize the American branch of the SPR. in 1884.

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[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE PARAPSYCHOLOGIST OUTLINES THE "CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE"

William Fletcher Barrett (1844-1925) was an English physicist and parapsychologist; he also wrote books such as Psychical Research.

He wrote in the Preface to this 1918 book, "all enduring additions to our knowledge of the universe ... are the result of prolonged and cautious enquiry, and discussion of a number of circumstances, each of which by itself may appear to be insignificant, but taken collectively point to some wide generalization... [but] the popular mind ... asks for some piece of conclusive evidence---some 'knockdown blow'---to compel its attention and assent. This however cannot be given... there is nothing for it but a tiresome study of detailed evidence, the strength of which rests on its cumulative character. In the following pages I have given some of this evidence with as little tedium as possible, and also ventured to touch, perhaps too daringly, upon many subjects, which need fuller explanation than was possible in a small volume..." (Pg. xi-xii)

He states in the Introduction, "In truth, there is, strictly speaking, NO scientific explanation of the higher phenomena of Spiritualism. Secondary causes, with which science deals, are only antecedents or previous states of a phenomenon, and have more remote antecedents or previous states, which, in turn, need to be accounted for, and so on in an endless chain; thus to the scientific materialist God necessarily becomes an infinite 'et cetera.' With a real or true cause---still less with the ultimate cause of things---science cannot grapple." (Pg. 11)

He suggests in the concluding chapter, "A false a paralysing materialistic philosophy must either disappear or be reconstructed, when the phenomena we attest can no longer be denied; and so, too, the popular assaults on the Christian religion, based on its incredibility, will be deprived of much of the force they now possess in certain minds. The most profound change in human thought that has occurred since the Christian era will, in all probability, follow the general recognition by science of the immanence of a spiritual world. Faith will no longer be staggered by trying to conceive of life in the unseen; death will no longer be felt to have so icy a grip over even Christian hearts; miracles will no longer seem to be the superstitious relics of a barbarous age... On the contrary, if, as I hold, telepathy be indisputable, if our creaturely minds can, without voice or language, impress each other, the Infinite and Overshadowing Mind is likely thus to have revealed itself in all ages to responsive human hearts." (Pg. 296-297)

This book will be of interest to anyone studying the history or psychical research, or Spiritualism.