The Law of Psychic Phenomena by Thomson Jay Hudson

Book

-

Lewis Latimer House

Front Cover: The image shows an old, hardbound book with a dark green cover that has visible signs of wear, including small scratches and scuffs across its surface, and a slightly frayed spine at the top and bottom, indicating its age and extensive use over time; a small piece of brown ribbon protrudes from the bottom of the book, serving as a bookmark, adding a touch of vintage charm to its overall appearance, while the book rests against a plain, light gray background, allowing its details to stand
Front Cover

The image shows an old, hardbound book with a dark green cover that has visible signs of wear, including small scratches and scuffs across its surface, and a slightly frayed spine at the top and bottom, indicating its age and extensive use over time; a small piece of brown ribbon protrudes from the bottom of the book, serving as a bookmark, adding a touch of vintage charm to its overall appearance, while the book rests against a plain, light gray background, allowing its details to stand

Name/Title

The Law of Psychic Phenomena by Thomson Jay Hudson

Description

"The Law of Psychic Phenomena" by Thomson Jay Hudson is a scientific publication written in the late 19th century. The book seeks to establish a comprehensive working hypothesis to analyze and classify various psychic phenomena, including hypnotism, spiritism, and mental therapeutics. Hudson aims to bridge the gaps in psychological science by proposing that many seemingly disparate psychic manifestations are connected through a general principle that can be understood and studied systematically. The opening of the work lays the groundwork for this ambitious project by articulating the necessity for a unifying hypothesis in psychology, akin to those in other scientific domains like physics and chemistry. Hudson argues that without such a framework, psychological phenomena remain chaotic and misunderstood. He quickly introduces the concept of duality in human mental processes, positing the existence of an "objective mind" that interacts with the physical world through the senses, and a "subjective mind" that operates outside of these constraints, particularly when in states of hypnosis. This duality is central to understanding the book’s deeper exploration of how the human mind navigates and comprehends psychic phenomena.

Context

Personal item of Lewis H Latimer, whose book plate (probably designed by Latimer himself) adorns the inside front cover of the book. Above the book plate is a handwritten note that reads in part, “P. 313 Buried alive & resuscitated.” Like other scientists, Latimer evidently was interested in the challenge of seeking rational grounds for seemingly paranormal phenomena, as his ownership of this book suggests.

Collection

Latimer Family Collection : Latimer House

Transcription

Transcriber

Aisha Abdul Rahman

Language

English

Dimensions

Dimension Description

7.5"x5"

Book Details

Author

Thomson Jay Hudson

Date Published

1896

Location

Box

29

Shelf

LLH Attic

Archival Collection

Latimer Family Collection

Museum

Lewis Latimer House

City

Flushing, Queens

State

New York, USA

Continent

North America

Country

United States