Key Takeaway:


It’s a common perception that philosophers, with their commitment to rationality, would turn their noses up at anything remotely superstitious. Yet, some of the most celebrated minds of the 20th century took a deep interest in investigating supernatural phenomena. Figures like Henri Bergson and William James were drawn to an academic study known as “psychical research.” This field, dedicated to examining phenomena like telepathy, clairvoyance, and even ghosts, found serious thinkers testing the boundaries of what they believed science could explain.

The allure of these mysteries drove scholars to séances and led them to develop theories on ghosts, life beyond death, and the strange powers exhibited by trance-induced mediums. Recently uncovered archival materials reveal that these eerie themes didn’t just pique their curiosity but deeply influenced the philosophical discourse of the time.

C.D. Broad, a prominent philosopher and professor at Cambridge, is often recognized for his groundbreaking work on the philosophy of time. However, his quieter pursuits in the paranormal paint a fuller picture of his intellectual curiosity. A respected member of the Society for Psychical Research, Broad was intrigued enough by supernatural phenomena that he not only became president of the society but also published work exploring ideas like clairvoyance and poltergeists. His theories went beyond curiosity; he attempted to give these mysteries a structured philosophical framework.

In his 1925 work, The Mind and Its Place in Nature, Broad introduced what came to be known as the “compound theory” of ghosts. According to Broad, the human mind wasn’t a single, indivisible unit but rather a combination of two distinct parts. One component, the “physical factor,” represented the body’s tangible aspects, while the other, the “psychic factor,” housed a person’s thoughts, emotions, and internal experiences. These components, when fused, created the human consciousness—akin to how sodium and chloride merge to form salt. Broad suggested that, upon death, the “psychic factor” might outlast the body, continuing to exist independently. This spectral remnant, he speculated, could enter a living medium, manifesting as a ghostly presence during a séance.

While Broad grappled with the mechanics of post-mortem existence, another philosopher, H.H. Price, examined how ghosts might appear to the living. Price, an Oxford professor known for his philosophical work on perception, also engaged extensively with the Society for Psychical Research. His presidential address in 1939 introduced a theory that built on the mind’s intricate workings. According to Price, the mind is a constant whirlwind of “mental images” – memories, thoughts, and sensory impressions that make up our daily experiences. He proposed that these images might linger even after death, suspended in an intermediary substance he called the “psychic ether.” This ether, Price speculated, could act as a bridge between the material world and the spiritual realm, holding onto fragments of a deceased person’s memories and images. Sensitive individuals might perceive these residual images as ghostly apparitions, forming a tenuous link between the living and the dead.

For Casimir Lewy, a philosopher renowned for his work in logic, the questions surrounding ghosts and the afterlife were less about proof and more about meaning. Spending most of his career at Cambridge, Lewy’s fascination with the supernatural began in his doctoral studies, where he delved into the complex topic of life after death. Guided by Broad, Lewy’s dissertation sought to unpack the language people used when speaking about ghosts and survival beyond the grave. Lewy argued that, before analyzing empirical evidence, it was essential to define what was even meant by claims of “life after death.” What would it require for a ghost to truly exist? Would a spirit need to recognize its own reflection, or perhaps communicate with the living during a séance? These were the questions Lewy believed had to be addressed before even attempting to establish the existence of supernatural phenomena.

However, the public’s growing skepticism toward psychical research soon overshadowed the work of these scholars. Widespread accusations against mediums who had been exposed as frauds, alongside concerns over the research methods used to investigate these phenomena, led to the academic decline of psychical studies. Although Lewy continued to influence philosophical logic, he and many others distanced themselves from these mystical inquiries after the 1940s. Despite its brief tenure in the intellectual spotlight, psychical research left a lasting impact on a generation of British philosophers. It prompted them to explore profound questions of time, consciousness, and existence, nudging them toward one of humanity’s most enduring questions: what awaits beyond death?

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