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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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