Brief
William James
The claims the writer was given for William James, in the order they were given.
1
William James said that if he wanted to pick an outright duffer for scientific research, he would take a student who was impartial and unprejudiced, since an emotional urge or pride in a preformed opinion is necessary to give the push to intellectual activity.
“If he wanted to pick an outright duffer for a scientific research he would take a student who was impartial and unprejudiced. An emotional urge, even if it be only pride in a preformed opinion, is necessary to give the push to intellectual activity.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults 0101-01-01 ch6:6396-6636 opinion third hand
2
William James of Harvard University "discovered" Leonora E. Piper for psychical research.
“Mrs. Piper was “discovered” for psychical research by William James of Harvard University, arguably the greatest psychologist of that or perhaps any time.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch28:6187-6336 administrative first hand
3
William James was sufficiently impressed by his sittings with Leonora E. Piper to send about twenty-five other persons to her under pseudonyms.
“James was sufficiently impressed by his sittings to send some twenty-five other persons to her under pseudonyms.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch28:6342-6443 observation first hand
4
In the spring of 1886, William James wrote an account of the results of his sittings with Leonora E. Piper stating he was persuaded of the medium's honesty and the genuineness of her trance, and that he believed her to be in possession of a power as yet unexplained.
“In the spring of 1886 he wrote an account of the results and stated, “I am persuaded of the medium’s honesty, and of the genuineness of her trance;…I now believe her to be in possession of a power as yet unexplained.””
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch28:6455-6659 opinion first hand
5
William James and G. Stanley Hall demonstrated that Leonora E. Piper could be cut, blistered, pricked, and undisturbed by a bottle of strong ammonia held under her nose while in trance, indicating the trance state was genuine.
“William James and G. Stanley Hall, another well-known American psychologist, demonstrated that Mrs. Piper could be cut, blistered, pricked, and undisturbed by a bottle of strong ammonia held under her nose.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch28:6845-7046 observation first hand
6
Richard Hodgson (1855-1905), a leading member of the Society for Psychical Research and an expert in unmasking fraud, went to Boston in 1887 and took charge of the investigation of Leonora E. Piper as a result of a report by William James.
“As a result of a report by William James, a leading member of the British Society for Psychical Research (SPR) and an expert in the unmasking of fraud, Richard Hodgson (1855–1905), went to Boston in 1887 and assumed charge of the investigation of Mrs. Piper.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch28:8256-8508 administrative first hand
7
Leonora E. Piper was an American trance medium studied extensively by William James and others.
“American trance medium Leonora Piper was studied extensively by William James and others.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch32:1289-1371 administrative
8
Myers, Lodge, Leaf and James wrote in their 1889-90 report that Leonora E. Piper appeared to be in possession of a power as yet unexplained.
“"in possession of a power as yet unexplained" / Myers, F. W. H., Lodge, O., Leaf, W., and James, W. "A Record of Observations of Certain Phenomena of Trance," Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, 1889–90, 6, 653.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch41:36359-36580 opinion second hand
9
William James, in his 1896 "Address of the President Before the Society for Psychical Research," said that if you want to disprove the law that all crows are black, it is enough to prove one single crow to be white.
““if you prove one single crow to be white” William James’s 1896 “Address of the President Before the Society for Psychical Research” (reprinted in Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine 7, 1 (1996): 23–33.”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch41:4980-5178 opinion second hand
10
William James stated that if one wishes to upset the law that all crows are black, one need not show that no crows are black, but only prove a single crow to be white.
“"If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, you mustn't seek to show that no crows are black; it is enough if you prove one single crow to be white."”
Surviving Death 2017-03-07 ch7:28786-28939 opinion first hand