SIR OLIVER LODGE 255 



sensual phenomena dealt with by mathematicians are 

 just as difficult of direct apprehension, and involve just 

 as much speculation and hypothesis, as any of the 

 barely credible mental phenomena which are under 

 discussion. 



The aloofness of science is not really because the 

 phenomena are elusive and difficult of observation; 

 rather it is because they appear to run counter to pre- 

 conceptions or prejudgments, or what may be called 

 rational prejudices, based upon a long course of study 

 of natural phenomena, with which these asserted oc- 

 currences appear to be inconsistent; so that the testi- 

 mony has to be criticised, continually suspected, and 

 frequently discarded, because it appears to be testi- 

 mony in favour of what is a ■priori impossible or ab- 

 surd. The aim of science has been for the most part 

 a study of materialistic phenomena, a study of mech- 

 anism, the mechanism whereby results are achieved, 

 an investigation into the physical processes which go 

 on, and which appear to be coextensive with nature. 

 Any theory which seems to involve the action of 

 Higher Beings, or of any unknown entity controlling 

 and working the mechanism, is apt to be extruded or 

 discountenanced as a relic of primitive superstition, 

 coming down from times when such infantile explana- 

 tions were prevalent; from a time when there was no 

 adequate idea of the coherent scheme of physical proc- 

 esses which underlie all the at first baffling and inscru- 

 table operations of nature. 



There was a time, for Instance, when the movements 

 of the planets were attributed to psychic guidance, the 

 action of angels or some other beings; when thunder 



