Science and Parascience is a history of parapsychology (psychical research) and is a sequel to the author’s Natural and Supernatural, which covered the period up to 1914. This book brings the history up to 1939. Inglis says he “tried to present the evidence about, rather than for, paranormal phenomena, as it accumulated between 1914 and 1939”. He finds the evidence overwhelming, and in a Postscript deals with its lack of acceptance. In presenting the historical data, Inglis covers the phenomena of mediumship, spontaneous cases, and experimental investigations. British, Continental, and American research are all covered. Along with Sir Oliver Lodge, Inglis concludes that “psychical research had taken a wrong turning, in seeking academic recognition, if it meant losing contact with the general public; an understandable but disastrous error of strategy which vitiated much of the valuable research undertaken between the wars, and unfairly destroyed the reputations of some of the most dedicated researchers. If I have done nothing else, I hope I have done something to rehabilitate them, at least in the eyes of their successors”.
About the author
Brian Inglis (31 July 1916 – 11 February 1993) was an Irish journalist, historian and television presenter. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and retained an interest in Irish history and politics. He was best known to people in Britain as the presenter of All Our Yesterdays, a television review of events exactly 25 years previously, as seen in newsreels, newspaper articles etc. He also presented the weekly review of newspapers known as What the Papers Say. He joined the staff of The Spectator in 1954, and became editor in 1959, soon afterwards hiring the young Bernard Levin to write for the magazine. He continued as editor until 1962. He also had interests in the paranormal, and alternatives to institutionalised medicine. Inglis’ friend and colleague Bill Grundy died on 9 February 1993. Inglis had just finished writing Grundy’s obituary when he, too, died.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Inglis
Publisher: White Crow Books
Published December 2013
pages
Size:
ISBN 978-1-910121-02-3 |