Book ID: CBB321801843

Physics and Psychics: The Occult and the Sciences in Modern Britain (2020)

unapi

Noakes, Richard J. (Author)


Cambridge University Press


Publication Date: 2020
Physical Details: 418
Language: English

This is the first systematic exploration of the intriguing connections between Victorian physical sciences and the study of the controversial phenomena broadly classified as psychic, occult and paranormal. These phenomena included animal magnetism, spirit-rapping, telekinesis and telepathy. Richard Noakes shows that psychic phenomena interested far more Victorian scientists than we have previously assumed, challenging the view of these scientists as individuals clinging rigidly to a materialistic worldview. Physicists, chemists and other physical scientists studied psychic phenomena for a host of scientific, philosophical, religious and emotional reasons, and many saw such investigations as exciting new extensions to their theoretical and experimental researches. While these attempted extensions were largely unsuccessful, they laid the foundations of modern day explorations of the connections between physics and psychic phenomena. This revelatory study challenges our view of the history of physics, and deepens our understanding of the relationships between science and the occult, and science and religion.

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Reviewed By

Review Heather Wolffram (2021) Review of "Physics and Psychics: The Occult and the Sciences in Modern Britain". Isis: International Review Devoted to the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences (pp. 628-629). unapi

Review Heather Wolffram (2021) Review of "Physics and Psychics: The Occult and the Sciences in Modern Britain". Isis: International Review Devoted to the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences (pp. 628-629). unapi

Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB321801843/

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Authors & Contributors
Ioan Pop-Curşeu
Kyle Falcon
Ștefana Pop-Curșeu
Pareti, Germana
Sommer, Andreas
Noakes, Richard
Concepts
Occult sciences
Parapsychology; psychic phenomena
Science and religion
Telepathy
Spiritualism
Psychology
Time Periods
19th century
20th century, early
Early modern
Modern
Enlightenment
20th century, late
Places
Great Britain
United States
Germany
Romania
Italy
Hungary
Institutions
Society for Psychical Research
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