28 FEBRUARY 1931, Page 20

THE NOTION OF SURVIVAL

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sra,—The theory once more brought forward by Mr. Gerald Heard, that, psychic phenomena may be explained by tele- pathy, has, often been shown to. have no reasonable basis. Telepathy., was originally. defined as "the transmission of thought independently of the recognized channels of sense," and all we know- about. it experimentally, is that A, by thinking of a subject, may be able to impress the mind of B with the same subject. But the selective telepathy assumed by Mr. Heard is something very different from this. Think what it means ! A medium, introduced for the first time to a stranger, is supposed to be able to read, not his surface thoughts, but detailed information buried in the depths of his subconscious mind.; and more marvellous still, to read the minds of any living beings and select from them the information that is relevant to the sitter, and nothing else. Having accomplished this feat, the infinite intelligence that roust have been at woik insists on. giving as the source of its information, not the minds of the living but the spirits of the dead ! For all this wonderful selective activity there is absolutely. no evidence whatever. It is pure assumption, and could .never have been seriously considered, except as a Way of escape from belief in spirits. Such a theory is far more difficult-to believe than the simple and obvious explana- tion which,. moreover, covers the whole ground of psychic Phenomena; whereas telepathy, even . granting all that is Claimed for it, leaves large tracts untouched.—I am, Sir, &c.,