HAUNTED HOUSES

INTRODUCTORY

SPIRITUALISM AND MATERIALISM: A REPLY TO CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS

Despite many convincing observations, the debate between psychists psychists: those who study or believe in psychic and spiritual phenomena and antipsychists antipsychists: skeptics who deny the existence of psychic phenomena, often favoring materialist explanations is still ongoing. Therefore, I believe it is useful to introduce this book with the following article, which was published in the Nouvelle Revue on December 15, 1900. It is particularly helpful because it presents the arguments of both opposing sides.

My friend, Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) was a world-famous French composer and conductor, had just published an article praising the physical functions of the brain as an argument against the theory of a personal soul. If you compare the tone of that article with the letters published in Death and Its Mystery original title: La Mort et son Mystère (vol. ii, p. 34, and vol. iii, p. 8), you will see that during the nineteenth century, we were not yet close friends.

Despite our different viewpoints, our relationship grew increasingly warm until he passed away on December 16, 1921. Those who seek truth and maintain their mental independence can learn to respect and care for one another despite their differences of opinion; such people are incapable of intolerance. This article, written in the final year of the nineteenth century, serves as a fitting introduction to the chapters that follow:

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I have just finished reading your insightful and engaging article in the Nouvelle Revue—though I am reading it a little late.