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SUPERNORMAL PERCEPTION
143
of telepathy does not work. He has given his own explanation of telepathic experiences on the basis of Myer's explanation. He bases his own explanation on the assumption of the subliminal self. In telepathy, a -signal is made to the conscious by the subliminal self of the percipient, which may take the form of a sensory hallucination or some other form. The importance of telepathy lies in the fact that it reveals the subliminal portion of the human personality at work.61 Similarly, more comprehensive theories that embrace clairvoyance and telepathy have been mentioned by Rhine. He, however, says that evidence for E. S. P. is good but the theories are bad. 62 Flew has mentioned two current theories of telepathy: Carrington's theory, and the Shin theory put forward by Thouless and Weisner. But there is a strong case for saying that the research situation
is not right for theory construction'. 63 However inadequate may be the explanations given by the various theories mentioned above, psychical phenomena like clairvoyance and telepathy are at present established facts. Few deny the existence of such phenomena; and the question whether such phenomena contradict an established law of nature, like the law of causation, is irrelevant. "The apparent contradiction arises because we have decided that anything which happens at all must happen in the world order with which we are familiar'. Similarly, we labour under the impression that all that is known is known through the sense organs. But, once the idea has been grasped that the organs of sense perception are narrowly specialized to serve biological and practical ends; that our normal consciousness is also specialized and largely focussed on consciousness; that our body is highly specialized; that, in fact, as a psycho-physical being the human individual represents a special adaptation to the sensory world, it becomes easier to contemplate an elsewhere', that is to say, a continuation of the order of existence beyond the familiar. 64 The psychical phenomena of extra-sensory perception seem to contradict the law of causation, because we have been accustomed to take cause in a narrow and traditional sense. The trouble comes from using a concept of cause which has not been adapted to cope with psi. Russell's suggestion of mnemic causation shows how we might adopt the concept cause'. We might invent a 'psi-causation'. 65
However, the Western analysis of extra-sensory perception like clairvoyance, telepathy, foreknowledge and mediumship shows that they are experiences possible for man, for some men for all time and perhaps for all men for some time. Western scientists make these phenomena paranormal and extra-sensory occurrences. A superstructure of experi
61 Tyrrell (G. N. M.): The Personality of Man, Ch. VII, p. 72 (Pelican). 62 Rhine (J. B): Extra-sensory Perception, Ch. II, p. 39. 63 Flew (A.): A New Approach to Psychical Research, Ch. IX, p. 132. 64 Tyrrell (G. N. M.): The Personality of Man, Ch. X, p. 265 (Pelican). 65 Flow (A)- A New Approach to Psychical Research, p. 127.
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