MYSTERIES OF THE FUTURE

Temuka Leader, Issue 7330, 7 June 1913, Page 8

MYSTERIES OF THE FUTURE

CAN SCIENCE EXPLAIN THE GIFT

OF PROPHECY Paris, April 10th Tho Congress of Experimental Psychology passed a strenuous week in Paris, and the reports’of its discussions havo been followed with great interest by tho public. A section of tho Congress was occupied in discussing, under tho presidency of Dr. Durville, tho problem as to whether it is scientifically possible to predict the future. Tho best proof of tho importance of tho question, and its fascination and danger, is the largo number of charlatans in every country who make a living by protending to foretell what is going to happen. Dr. Durville said that what the Congress specially desired light upon was whether there were those, actually gifted with this power of prevision, and, if such power exists, whether it could bo controlled and developed. Ho seemed to think that it was possible that subjects could bo found who had this gift, and instanced the fact that in all ages and in all lands there were found those who believed in the possibility, and those who traded on this belief. Modern science, ho agreed, would not accept such evidence as proof, but ho pointed out that astronomers and medical inen were able to predict with accuracy what would happen in their different spheres. The astronomer could tell tho future movements in the heavenly bodies, the doctor tho progress and end of a disease. We expressed no astonishment at these manifestations, because wo understood how the conclusions wore arrived at, and it might bo that we had only to find out tho laws which govern other phenomena of prediction, now considered occult or accidental, to be equally convinced, Dr. Durville concluded that we could only become scientifically sure that there were subjects specially gifted with the power of prophecy by accumulating evidence which would bo rigorously controlled. It was necessary first of all to be assured of the existence of phenomena before seeking to form a theory capable of explaining them.