It is interesting that he was a trained scientist, studied spiritualism (and believed Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths fairy photos were real), yet was never skeptical. Especially since his character, Holmes, used logic and deductive reasoning.
From what I’ve read, Sir Arthur was friends with Harry Houdini and believed him to be psychic even though Houdini wholly denied it.
We realize today that the brain is a very complex organ and the mind can play tricks on us. It takes what is observed/given and using all past experience and perhaps ‘pre-programmed’ information as well, then comes to a conclusion, possibly not always logical or even real.
I love this sort of stuff, both the scientific explanations (or lack there of) and the ‘paranormal’, after all, we don’t know everything and probably never will.
(Sort of off topic, I have the book ‘Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book’, rather a parody written by Terry Jones (Monty Python) and illustrated by Brian Froud. It’s a great book; Lady Cottington catches fairies and presses them in the book like one would do with flowers!
And, btw, I do not scoff at fairies or any of the little people just to be on the safe side. Do not want to incur their wrath!)
From what I’ve read, Sir Arthur was friends with Harry Houdini and believed him to be psychic even though Houdini wholly denied it.
We realize today that the brain is a very complex organ and the mind can play tricks on us. It takes what is observed/given and using all past experience and perhaps ‘pre-programmed’ information as well, then comes to a conclusion, possibly not always logical or even real.
I love this sort of stuff, both the scientific explanations (or lack there of) and the ‘paranormal’, after all, we don’t know everything and probably never will.
(Sort of off topic, I have the book ‘Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book’, rather a parody written by Terry Jones (Monty Python) and illustrated by Brian Froud. It’s a great book; Lady Cottington catches fairies and presses them in the book like one would do with flowers!
And, btw, I do not scoff at fairies or any of the little people just to be on the safe side. Do not want to incur their wrath!)