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"Occultism and Common-Sense" by Beckles Willson is a scientific publication written in the late 19th century. The work investigates various phenomena associated with the supernatural, attempting to apply a rational and critical approach to claims of spiritualism, telepathy, and related topics. The author reflects on the challenges posed by established science against the backdrop of increasing public interest in occultism, suggesting that there exists a body of evidence that demands careful consideration beyond mere skepticism. At the start of the book, the author shares his initial enthusiasm for exploring the realm of occult phenomena with an open mind, only to encounter significant skepticism from established scientific authorities. He discusses an intriguing anecdote involving a man's vision of his deceased mother coinciding with her actual death, illustrating the complexities of psychic experiences and coincidences. The opening establishes a clear tension between common-sense int

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By Professor W. F. Barrett, F.R.S.

Those of us who took part in the foundation of the Society for
Psychical Research were convinced from personal investigation and from
the testimony of competent witnesses that, amidst much illusion and
deception, there existed an important body of facts, hitherto
unrecognised by science, which, if incontestably established, would be
of supreme interest and importance.

It was hoped that by applying scientific methods to their systematic
investigation these obscure phenomena might eventually be rescued from
the disorderly mystery of ignorance; (but we recognised that this would
be a work, not of one generation but of many.) Hence to preserve
continuity of effort it was necessary to form a society, the aim of
which should be, as we stated at the outset, to bring to bear on these
obscure questions the same spirit of exact and unimpassioned inquiry
which has enabled science to solve so many problems once not less
obscure nor less hotly debated. And such success as the society has
achieved is in no small measure due to the wise counsel and ungrudging
expenditure both of time and means which the late Professor Henry
Sidgwick gave, and which Mrs Sidgwick continues to give, to all the
details of its work.

Turning now to the author of the following pages, everyone must
recognise the industry he has shown and the fairness of spirit he has
endeavoured to maintain. With different groups of phenomena, the
evidential value varies enormously. The testimony of honest and even
careful witnesses requires to be received with caution, owing to the
intrusion of two sources of error to which untrained observers are very
liable. These are unconscious mal-observation and unintentional
mis-description. I cannot here enter into the proof of this statement,
bu

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