Spiritualism, professionalisation vs democratisation/ popular culture

Question 1

Cottom, ‘On the Dignity of Tables’

Answer 1

Spiritualism as vulgar, cheap, anti-professionalisation

just seen as something of folk-life - follows no scientific method or standard.

“If tables, trumpets, ordinary Joes, children’s slates, and all the rest of the furniture of our lives could become philosophical mouthpieces, other objects-the objects of science, philosophy, religion, art-might appear as nothing more than the furniture of professional people, who gathered around it to be moved by the sorts of spirits they happened to prefer.”

Question 2

Pimple, scientists’ engagement

Answer 2

scientists did actually engage with spiritualism - inadvertently giving it more standing and prominence by their involvement etc… Didn’t have to be inherently unscientific…
They wanted to discover if they were real spirits, just as the spiritualists were doing

The scientist William Crookes became involved with Florence Cook - he did empirical tests attempting to discover how or why her mediumship worked

Question 3

Saler

Answer 3

psychical research and spiritualism… tended to be marginalized by established science at the turn of the century