Another article from the currently produced special issue of Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C dedicated to psychical research is now online as a pre-print version on the journal website. In her analysis of letters on precognition to the British playwright J. B. Priestley, Katy Price (Queen Mary University, London) addresses the … Read more
In the fourth of eight articles from the upcoming Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C special issue on psychical research, Shannon Delorme (Oxford University) takes a closer look at one of the most vocal British 19th-century opponents of spiritualism and animal magnetism, the physiologist William B. Carpenter. PHYSIOLOGY OR PSYCHIC POWERS? WILLIAM … Read more
A pre-print version of Richard Noakes’ thought-provoking article looking at the complex relationship between unorthodox and established sciences is now available for download on the website of Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. HAUNTED THOUGHTS OF THE CAREFUL EXPERIMENTALIST: PSYCHICAL RESEARCH AND THE TROUBLES OF EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS Richard Noakes, University of … Read more
The second article from an upcoming Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C special issue on psychical research is now available as a pre-print version on the journal’s website. Andrea Graus of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona investigates the remarkable history of the introduction of medical hypnotism in Spain. HYPNOSIS IN SPAIN (1888–1905): … Read more
I’m pleased to announce the online first/in-press version of an article to appear in an upcoming special issue of Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, dedicated to psychical research and parapsychology in the history of science and medicine. Thanks to the support of Greg Radick, the editor of Studies, I had the … Read more
UCL/British Psychological Society History of the Psychological Disciplines Seminar Series Monday 28th July Professor Vincent Barras (University of Lausanne) Plays between Reason, Language and Gods: The Case of Glossolalia 19-20th Centuries Glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, plays a surprisingly important role in discussions between theologians, psychologists, and psychiatrists at the turn of the 20th century … Read more
Eugene Taylor, whose death in January 2013 was a heavy blow to history of psychology and William James scholarship, was one of the few modern historians to fully acknowledge and try to make sense of James’s by no means casual occupation with spiritualism, telepathy and other unorthodox areas of inquiry. The main fruits of Taylor’s … Read more
A half-day workshop with presentations from the members of the UCL Centre for the History of Psychological Disciplines on the interaction between psychedelics and psychotherapy UCL Centre for the History of Psychological Disciplines Saturday, 26 July 2014, 14:30 to 21:30 Arts and Humanities Common Room (G24), Foster Court, Malet Place University College London 2:30 pm- … Read more
Since its foundation in 1882, the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), the first large organisation to scientifically investigate controversial phenomena associated with mesmerism and spiritualism, has boasted a considerable number of notable physical scientists among its members. They included, for example, the discoverer of thallium and president of the Royal Society, William Crookes, the pioneer … Read more
A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to teach a four-lectures course on history of psychology in the Natural Sciences Tripos and other programmes. Naturally I accepted, but proposed a focus that fundamentally differs from more conventional ways the history of psychology has been taught. Rather than merely addressing landmarks on … Read more