________________
142
SOME PROBLEMS IN JAINA PSYCHOLOGY
when he was a Professor of Physics. Some of the Universities in the West have been taking up the study of the problem. Duke University is foremost in this respect. At present, the phenomena of extra-sensory perception, like clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition and mediumship have been accepted as facts. Even psychologists like McDougall are inclined to believe that extra-sensory perception, like clairvoyance, telepathy and foreknowledge, seems also in a fair way established.55 Even critical investigators, like Lehman, admit the existence of genuine telepathy. Dr. Mitchell says that telepathy or some mode of acquiring knowledge which for the present we may call supernormal must be admitted, because if we refuse to accept telepathy we stand 'helpless' in the face of well-attested phenomena which could not otherwise be accounted for.56 Prof. H. H. Price is of opinion that evidence for clairvoyance and telepathy is ‘abundant and good.'57 Prof. Richet admits that telepathic experiences certainly exist.58 Dr. Rhine, who has done good work on extra-sensory perception, says that extra-sensory perception in the form of clairvoyance and telepathy is an actual and demonstrable occurrence. It is not a sensory phenomenon.59 Prof. Myres cites many instances of telepathic intuition. He mentions the publication called Apparitions, which gives many instances. However, Myres says that the evidence for telepathy does not rest entirely on instances of such description. Other sources of evidence of the existence of telepathy are possible to any one who has not a strong apriori objection to it.60
Several theories have been presented to explain the phenomenon of extra-sensory perception. Some scientists have explained telepathy in terms of physical radiation. It is sometimes said that telepathy is an experience in which an idea present in the conscious mind of A is transferred to the conscious mind of B by some process resembling that of radio-telepathy.' Dr. Tuckett says that admission of telepathy means nothing more than believing in the existence of vibrations in ether resulting from and acting on nervous matter. Similarly, Prof. Ostwald has proposed a physical theory of telepathy. He says that a transpiration of known psycho-physical energies into unknown forms is projected through time and space and and is received by the percipient. But scientists like Myres, Tyrrell, Barrett and Mrs. Sidgwick show that such a physical theory of telepathy is not adequate. Telepathy is more a psychological fact than a physical phenomenon. Tyrrell shows that the physical theory
55 McDougall (W.): Riddle of Life, p 235. 56 London Times, dated 6th September 1937, as quoted in Jaina Psychology p. 100
by Mohanlal Mehta. 57 Philosophy, October 1950. 58 Richet: Thirty Years of Psychical Research, p. 23-24. 69 Rhine (J. B.): Extra-sensory Perception, p. 222 60 Tyrrell (G. N. M.): The Personality of Man, p. 26
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
