- A radically empirical approach to studying human experience. One
of William James’s lifelong interests was investigation of what are
called “psi” phenomena—things like telepathy (direct communication
between minds), clairvoyance (direct knowledge of objects or events
removed in space from view), and precognition (direct knowledge of
future events). The hallmark feature of psi is information transfer
between persons, or between a person and the environment, in ways
not explicable by our current biophysical understanding of mind and
matter. James was also interested in phenomena suggesting that as-
pects of mind might somehow transcend the body and perhaps even
survive death of the body. Such things, to the extent they are occur-
ring, are clearly relevant to understanding the mind-body connection.
Public discussions of such phenomena often evoke dismissal,
derision, and even anger, yet it is notable just how many people reveal
personal experiences in this realm of psi in more intimate settings,
suggesting that something is going on worthy of a closer look.
James was one of the founders of a scientific collective that defined
what they called “psychical research.” These days, such phenomena
are sometimes referred to as parapsychological, or even paranor-
mal (Greek para = beyond). Unfortunately, these later terms have a
connotation that the phenomena are beyond the scope of scientific
investigation—that they are somehow only in the realm of “spirit,”
whatever that may mean. However, not only are these phenomena
capable of being researched using the methods of science, there are
cultural contexts where their occurrence is considered very normal
indeed. James maintained that to reach the next level of scientific un-
derstanding of mind, one needs to pay attention to all empirical phe-
nomena, no matter how weird and presently inexplicable.
In the century since James, there has been considerable inves-
steven felgate
(Steven Felgate)
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