Cock Lane and Common-Sense by Andrew Lang
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"Cock Lane and Common-Sense" by Andrew Lang is a collection of essays exploring the intersection of folklore, anthropology, and reported paranormal phenomena, written during the late 19th century. In this work, Lang seeks to reconcile the perspectives of folklorists and psychical researchers, arguing for a legitimate academic inquiry into contemporary accounts of spiritualism, wraiths, and other mysterious occurrences, all while maintaining a skeptical lens on such beliefs. At the start of the
collection, Lang directs his observations toward the ongoing debate within the academic community regarding the validity of ghost stories and other supernatural claims. He discusses the reluctance of both folklorists and scientists to adequately investigate first-hand testimonies that challenge conventional understanding, presenting a series of examples from various cultures, including the phenomena reported by figures like the Wesley brothers. Lang's writing reflects a conviction that these experiences deserve attention and analysis, highlighting the shared characteristics of abnormal experiences across different societies and questioning why educated individuals should not be subjected to the same scrutiny as uneducated ones when recounting supernatural events. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912 |
|---|---|
| Title | Cock Lane and Common-Sense |
| Contents | Preface -- Introduction -- Savage spiritualism -- Ancient spiritualism -- Comparative psychical research -- Haunted houses -- Cock Lane and common-sense -- Apparitions, ghosts, and hallucinations -- Scrying or crystal-gazing -- The second sight -- Ghosts before the law -- A modern trial for witchcraft -- Presbyterian ghost hunters -- The logic of table-turning -- The ghost theory of the origin of religion. |
| Credits | Transcribed by David Price |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 61.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | BF: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Psychology, Philosophy, Psychoanalysis |
| Subject | Ghosts |
| Subject | Parapsychology -- Early works to 1900 |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 12674 |
| Release Date | Jun 1, 2004 |
| Last Update | Dec 15, 2020 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 791 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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