It has been well said that “Theories are but mighty soap‑
bubbles,withwhichthegrown‑upchildrenamusethemselves.”
Toomanythinkersdevotesomuchtimetothecreationand
supportoftheoriesthattheylosesightoftherealfactslying
aroundlooseoneverysideofthem.Atthebest,atheoryshould
be regarded as but a “working hypothesis”—a “supposition
orprincipleassumedortakenforgrantedinordertodrawa
conclusion or inference of the point in question”—“a theory
assumed to account for something not understood.” As
ThomasL.Harrishassaid:
“Thesimplepeasantwhoobservesatruth, Andfromthefactdeducesprinciple, Addssolidtreasuretothepublicwealth.
Thetheoristwhodreamsarainbowdream, Andcallsthehypothesisphilosophy, Atbestisbutapaperfinancier
Whopalmshisspeciouspromisesforgold.
Factsarethebasisofphilosophy;
Philosophytheharmonyoffacts, Seenintheirrightrelation.”
And so it is in relation to the facts of telepathy. It is not
necessarytoacceptanyparticulartheoryoftelepathyinorder
to accept the facts. One may accept any one of the several
theoriesadvancedtoaccountforthephenomenaoftelepathy—
onemayevenrefusetoacceptanyofthesetheories—andstill
“believein”telepathy.Itispossible—andextremelyprobable—
that the several theories regarding telepathy may be found
afteralltobebutmereguesses,andthattherealtheoryisyet
In the first place we have the theory most commonly
advanced—thetheoryofthought‑wavesintheether.Youwill
find this particular theory forcibly stated in the quotations
fromeminentscientistswhichappearinthefirstfewchapters
ofthislittlebook.Itisheldbythesethinkersthatjustasthe
vibrations of light, heat, electricity and magnetism produce
wavesintheetherofspacewhicharethencarriedtodistant
pointswheretheyreproducetheoriginalvibrations,sodothe
vibrations of thought create ether‑waves which travel until
theycomeincontactwiththebrainormindofanotherperson
and are then transformed into thought vibrations. This idea
has received support from the physiological fact that there
is noticed a perceptible increase in the temperature of the
brain during periods of thought‑activity, and that there are
knowntobechemicalchangesinthebrain‑substanceduring
the process of thought—which would seem to indicate the
manifestation of power, energy or force of some kind. The
idea has also been strengthened by the recent discoveries in
wireless telegraphy many writers freey using the latter as an
illustrationofthemanifestationoftelepathy.Scientistsfreely
TheTheories
admitthatthereisaplaceforthought‑vibrationsinthescale
of vibrations, there being immense gaps in the scale which
evidentlybelongtosomevibratoryforcesasyetunknownto
to indulge in speculation.” And, Prof. M. M. Williams says:
“There is no gradation between the most rapid undulations
ortremblingsthatproduceoursensationsofsound,andthe
I shall not go into further detail regarding this particular
theory,whichisthemostpopularone,fortheeminentscientists
The second popular theory of telepathy is that of the
“Subjective,Subconscious,orSubliminalMind,”whichhasfound
favorwithagreatnumberofpersons,particularlywiththose
interested in Psychic Research or the popular metaphysical
movement. This theory is based upon the hypothesis that
(1)thereexistsineachindividuala“mind”orphaseofmind
belowthethresholdofconsciousness;and(2)thatthis“below‑
consciousness” mind of each individual is in psychic touch
and connection with the similar mind of each and every
otherindividual;and(3)that,therefore,theremustbenatural
this “below‑consciousness” mind, to which I must refer the
reader.Itmustberemembered,though,thatonemayaccept
the “below‑consciousness” mind or phase of mind, without
alsoacceptingthe“subconscious”theoryoftelepathy.Norisit
necessarytoignorethe“subconscious”evenwhileacceptingthe
thought‑wavetheory.Asproofofthislast,Iaskyoutoconsider
the statement of Mr. Ernest Weltmer, who, while advancing
the“waveintheether”hypothesis,nevertheless,plainlystates:
“Telepathyisafunctionofthedeeper,subconsciousmind,both
as to the sending and receiving of messages. Thoughts sent
by the subconsciousness come to the consciousness of the
senderonlyincidentallyornotatall.Messagesreceivedbythe
subconsciousness arise to the consciousness of the receiver
while his mind is in a condition which places the ordinary
sensorythoughtsinthebackground,andastheresultofthe
transmitted vibrations causing a movement or condition in
thereceiver’smindsimilartothatwhichinthesender’smind
producedconsciousness.”
Thomson J. Hudson, in his well‑known work, “The Law of
PsychicPhenomena,”didmuchtomakepopularthisparticular
theory of telepathy. His views may be gathered from the
following quotation from the said work: “There is inherent
in mankind the power to communicate thoughts to others
TheTheories
independentlyofobjectivemeansofcommunication….Now
telepathy is primarily the communion of subjective minds,
orratheritisthenormalmeansofcommunicationbetween
subjective minds. The reason of the apparent rarity of its
manifestationisthatitrequiresexceptionalconditionstobring
is not general among men; but it is certain that it is held
betweenthosewho,fromanycause,areen rapport.Thefacts
recorded by the Society for Psychical Research demonstrate
thatproposition.Thusnearrelativesareoftenestfoundtobe
incommunion,asisshownbythecomparativefrequencyof
telepathiccommunicationsbetweenrelatives,givingwarning
ofsicknessorofdeath.Nextinfrequencyarecommunications
between intimate friends. Communications of this character
betweencomparativestrangersareapparentlyrare.Ofcourse
theonlymeanswehaveofjudgingthesethingsisbytherecord
ofthecasesinwhichthecommunicationshavebeenbrought
totheobjectiveconsciousnessofthepercipients.Fromthese
casesitseemsfairtoinferthatthesubjectivemindsofthose
who are deeply interested in one another are in habitual
communion,especiallywhenthepersonalinterestorwelfareof
eitheragentorpercipientisatstake.Bethisasitmay,itiscertain
thattelepathiccommunicationcanbeestablishedatwillbythe
consciouseffortofoneorbothoftheparties,evenbetween
strangers.TheexperimentsoftheSocietyabovenamedhave
demonstrated this fact. It will be assumed, therefore, for the
purposesofthisargument,thattelepathiccommunioncanbe
establishedbetweentwosubjectivemindsatthewillofeither.
Thisfactmaynotbeperceivedbythesubject,foritmaynot
riseabovethethresholdofhisobjectiveconsciousness….The
secondpropositionisthatastateofperfectpassivityonthe
partofthepercipientisthemostfavorableconditionforthe
reception of telepathic impressions or communications. It
needsnoargumenttoestablishthetruthofthisproposition.
It is universally known to be true, by all who have given the
slightest attention to psychological science, that passivity on
thepartofthesubjectistheprimaryconditionnecessaryfor
lines, more particularly by those who hold the philosophical
viewthatthereisagreatUniversalMindPrincipleinwhichthe
universeandallitsconstituentpartsappearasideas,images,
or appearances. Granted this fundamental premise, it would
naturallyfollowthattherecouldbecommunicationbetween
particular centres of consciousness, or being, within that
Principle—some have called this “the circulation of mind.”
Such communication could be had without the necessity of
wavesintheether,oranyothermaterialforce,fortherewould
benoneedofanymediumofcommunicationotherthanMind
itself.OfthisUniversalMindPrinciple,thepresentwriterhas
saidinanotherwork:“InthedepthsoftheOceanofMindthere
isquietandcalmandpeace—theembodimentoflatentpower
and potential energy. On its surface are ripples, waves, great
movements of energy, currents, whirlpools, eddies—phases
of fierce tempest alternating with phases of calm and quiet.
AndfromthedepthsofthatOceanofMind,allmentaland
physical power emerges—and to its bosom all must return.
AndinthatOceanofMindthereisaninfinitestoreofenergy,
fromwhichmaybedrawnthatwhichthehumancentresof
consciousnessandpowerrequire,whentheylearnthesecret.”
Ishallnotattempttoenlargeuponthattheory,foritbelongs
TheTheories
moreproperlytothefieldofphilosophyandmetaphysicsthan
tothatofpsychology.Imerelymentionitherethatitmaybe
taken into consideration by those studying and investigating
thephenomenaoftelepathy.
But,afterall,whydwellupontheories?Thereisagreatfield
offactsawaitingtheinvestigatoroftelepathy.Thesurfacehas
merelybeenscratchedasyet.Thepioneershaveblazedafew
pathshavemadeafewsuccessesandafewfailures,allofwhich
willbeofusetothosewhofollowthem.Perhapsthislittlebook
willservetointerestsomeonewhomayinafteryearsbeoneof
thosewhowillbringorderoutofchaosinthiswonderfulfield
ofhumanthought.Thereisroomfortheearnestworkerand
investigator—we are as yet only in the kindergarten stage of
telepathy.Thenexttwentyyearswillwitnessgreatadvances.In
themeantime,letusthink,study,investigateandexperiment,
ifwewish—letusregardtheoriesasbuttemporarymakeshifts,
untiltheyareproventobelawsorprinciples—letuswelcome
truthwhereverfound—letuscarenaughtfornamesandhigh‑
soundingclaims,butbeeveronthelookoutforfactsnomatter
bywhomofferedorbywhatnamecalled—and,aboveall,letus
keeptheopenmindandthedispositiontograntafairfield,and
nofavor—inshort,a“squaredeal”—toallhonestandsincere
investigation.
Finis.
Bibliography
Atkinson,WilliamWalker.Telepathy: Its Theory, Facts and Proof.Chicago,IL:
NewThoughtPublishingCompany,1910.