61:. The format of these sessions was usually that an eminent speaker gave an opening lecture, which was followed by a debate open to all attendees. In 1868–69 the Society published a pamphlet explaining its purpose, history, and rules, as well as a report covering its activities and members in 1866–68.
104:
and reported their findings. The report was heavily criticised by the scientific community as being of no scientific value. This was due to the fact that half of the committees "saw really nothing" and only the second committee had reported successful "presumably spiritualistic" phenomena. However,
44:
The
Society had a broad remit to all "the most absolute freedom of debate" with no topic excluded from discussion (except on the grounds of "triviality"). It therefore hosted debates on a wide variety of topics, examples of which include 'Over-population and Public Health' (July 1868) at which
20:
was a
British professional association that formed in 1867 to encourage debate "of all questions without reserve, but especially those comprised in the domain of ethics, metaphysics, and theology". It is best known for its investigation into and report on the claims of
69:
The
Society is probably best known for a Committee it formed "to investigate the phenomena alleged to be spiritual manifestations and to report thereon." In January 1869, a committee was appointed that included 33 members. Notable members included
37:. It gathered together highly regarded professional individuals to speak on issues of the day. Many well known speakers started at the Society including Joseph Hiam, the journalist and campaigner.
111:
described the report as "nothing more than a farrago of impotent conclusions, garnished by a mass of the most monstrous rubbish it has ever been our misfortune to sit judgement on."
453:"The evidential standards of the committee were, alas, deplorably low, many phenomena being pronounced genuine on the unsupported statements of credulous or dishonest witnesses."
514:
1365:
105:
this conclusion was criticised as being based on unsupported statements from unreliable witnesses. The report was dismissed by influential newspapers. For example,
1033:
424:
Report on
Spiritualism of the Committee of the London Dialectical Society, Together with the Evidence, Oral and Written, and a Selection from the Correspondence
97:
In 1871 a report by the committee was published. The
Society declined to publish the report and it was printed on the responsibility of the committee only.
1043:
507:
827:
1058:
349:
217:
500:
1013:
812:
450:
38:
1375:
1249:
484:
391:
1038:
34:
122:
672:
428:
1304:
1028:
566:
366:
149:
1370:
606:
1254:
1214:
1179:
1104:
58:
1048:
832:
807:
1314:
1074:
647:
523:
50:
22:
1244:
1053:
892:
857:
737:
692:
556:
75:
1380:
1204:
1109:
887:
882:
797:
767:
717:
591:
551:
83:
972:
1219:
1119:
952:
937:
752:
121:
On the basis of this report, the London
Dialectical Society has been described as a precursor to the
1294:
1084:
1079:
1018:
822:
817:
541:
527:
115:
87:
1334:
1169:
962:
912:
877:
722:
596:
251:
154:
91:
71:
232:"The Malthusian League and the Resistance to Birth Control Propaganda in Late Victorian Britain"
118:
but "nothing occurred at any of the meetings which could be attributed to supernatural causes."
1339:
1269:
1239:
1129:
982:
902:
872:
782:
777:
707:
662:
601:
586:
546:
480:
446:
387:
345:
303:
259:
190:
54:
46:
1284:
1234:
1139:
1023:
917:
747:
283:
243:
198:
1344:
1274:
1209:
1174:
1159:
967:
927:
867:
842:
702:
379:
682:
1319:
1309:
1259:
1224:
1199:
1164:
1154:
1144:
1124:
942:
712:
667:
637:
203:
178:
1359:
1279:
1229:
1194:
1189:
1134:
1094:
947:
907:
897:
852:
732:
687:
677:
652:
611:
561:
134:
287:
1324:
1149:
1114:
1099:
1089:
997:
957:
932:
862:
847:
762:
727:
697:
657:
632:
581:
79:
322:
277:
1299:
1289:
1264:
992:
987:
802:
757:
742:
642:
1329:
1184:
922:
837:
787:
571:
492:
194:
977:
792:
772:
107:
100:
Six sub-committees had investigated the claims of spiritualism by attending
576:
263:
101:
136:
Report on
Spiritualism, of the Committee of the London Dialectical Society
255:
231:
616:
247:
279:
Debate on Mr. Moncure D. Conway's paper "On marriage" April, 1871
496:
57:, and 'The Philosophy of Secularism' (December 1872) opened by
33:
The
Society was founded in 1867 under the presidency of
362:
Charles M. Davies : The Broad
Churchman as Journalist
342:
1067:
1006:
625:
534:
413:, Volume 2. Saturday, 28 October 1871. pp. 528–529
409:The London Dialectical Society on "Spiritualism".
139:(London: Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer, 1871)
41:was invited to speak on more than one occasion.
114:The fifth committee had investigated the medium
405:
403:
401:
399:
220:. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology.
53:both spoke, 'On Marriage' (April 1871) led by
1034:National Spiritualist Association of Churches
508:
8:
336:
334:
327:. London: Wertheimer, Lea and Co. 1868–1969.
282:. London: London Dialectical Society. 1871.
515:
501:
493:
301:"Debate on the Philosophy of Secularism".
1366:1867 establishments in the United Kingdom
1044:Spiritualist Association of Great Britain
202:
94:declined invitation to join the Society.
166:
1059:International Spiritualist Federation
384:The Invention of Telepathy, 1870–1901
7:
479:. Harvard University Press. p. 431.
172:
170:
1014:List of Spiritualist organizations
466:. Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd. p. 16
386:. Oxford University Press. p. 31.
39:Elizabeth Clarke Wolstenholme Elmy
14:
462:Whittington-Egan, Molly. (2015).
179:"The London Dialectical Society"
443:Spiritualism: A Critical Survey
370:. Vol. 17, No. 1/2, pp. 29–33.
177:Dyte, D. H. (28 August 1869).
123:Society for Psychical Research
1:
1039:Spiritualists' National Union
429:British Journal of Psychiatry
411:The Medical Times and Gazette
1029:London Spiritualist Alliance
477:Essays in Psychical Research
367:Victorian Periodicals Review
344:. Boydell Press. pp. 54–55.
218:"London Dialectical Society"
150:London Spiritualist Alliance
1397:
324:London Dialectical Society
18:London Dialectical Society
1049:Spiritual church movement
445:. Aquarian Press. p. 25.
441:Edmunds, Simeon. (1966).
340:Byrne, Georgina. (2010).
1376:Paranormal organizations
475:James, William. (1896).
464:Mrs Guppy Takes a Flight
288:2027/umn.31951002122070b
1315:C. E. Bechhofer Roberts
1180:Carlos MarĂa de Heredia
360:Costa, Thomas. (1984).
183:British Medical Journal
51:Charles Robert Drysdale
1245:Charles Arthur Mercier
1054:Arthur Findlay College
893:William Stainton Moses
858:Gladys Osborne Leonard
311:: 2–4. 7 January 1872.
76:Charles Maurice Davies
1205:Stanley LeFevre Krebs
1110:Milbourne Christopher
1019:Spiritualist churches
888:Lorin Morgan-Richards
883:William Usborne Moore
552:Cross-Correspondences
84:Alfred Russel Wallace
1220:John Nevil Maskelyne
1120:Edmund Smith Conklin
1295:Julien J. Proskauer
1085:George Miller Beard
1080:John Henry Anderson
818:Daniel Dunglas Home
535:History and beliefs
422:Anonymous. (1872).
230:D'Arcy, F. (1977).
116:Daniel Dunglas Home
88:Thomas Henry Huxley
86:. Skeptics such as
1371:Debating societies
1335:Ivor Lloyd Tuckett
1170:William A. Hammond
973:Stanisława Tomczyk
963:Emanuel Swedenborg
913:Ethel Post-Parrish
878:Francis Ward Monck
723:Arthur Conan Doyle
597:Spirit photography
236:Population Studies
155:Seybert Commission
92:George Henry Lewes
72:Edward William Cox
1353:
1352:
1340:Lyttelton Winslow
1305:Donovan Rawcliffe
1270:E. Clephan Palmer
1240:Georgess McHargue
1130:Stuart Cumberland
1105:William Carpenter
1024:Spiritist centres
983:George Valiantine
903:Eusapia Palladino
873:Carmine Mirabelli
833:Swami Laura Horos
783:Kathleen Goligher
708:Geraldine Cummins
663:Stephen E. Braude
602:Spirit possession
587:Spiritual healing
547:Automatic writing
432:17 (80): 578–579.
350:978-1-84383-589-9
304:National Reformer
55:Moncure D. Conway
47:Charles Bradlaugh
1388:
1285:Massimo Polidoro
1235:Henry C. McComas
1140:Joseph Dunninger
918:James Van Praagh
808:Gordon Higginson
748:William Eglinton
592:Spirit obsession
517:
510:
503:
494:
487:
473:
467:
460:
454:
439:
433:
420:
414:
407:
394:
380:Luckhurst, Roger
377:
371:
358:
352:
338:
329:
328:
319:
313:
312:
298:
292:
291:
274:
268:
267:
227:
221:
215:
209:
208:
206:
174:
1396:
1395:
1391:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1386:
1385:
1356:
1355:
1354:
1349:
1345:Richard Wiseman
1275:Ronald Pearsall
1255:John Mulholland
1210:Rose Mackenberg
1175:C. E. M. Hansel
1160:G. Stanley Hall
1063:
1002:
968:Rosina Thompson
928:Estelle Roberts
868:Heinrich Melzer
843:James H. Hyslop
813:Richard Hodgson
703:William Crookes
621:
567:Materialization
530:
521:
491:
490:
474:
470:
461:
457:
440:
436:
421:
417:
408:
397:
378:
374:
359:
355:
339:
332:
321:
320:
316:
300:
299:
295:
276:
275:
271:
248:10.2307/2173367
229:
228:
224:
216:
212:
176:
175:
168:
163:
146:
131:
80:Cromwell Varley
67:
31:
12:
11:
5:
1394:
1392:
1384:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1358:
1357:
1351:
1350:
1348:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1320:Chung Ling Soo
1317:
1312:
1310:Joseph F. Rinn
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1260:Fulton Oursler
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1225:Henry Maudsley
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1200:Joseph Jastrow
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1165:Trevor H. Hall
1162:
1157:
1155:Martin Gardner
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1125:Millais Culpin
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1095:Lionel Branson
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1071:
1069:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1010:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1001:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
943:Rudi Schneider
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
823:Elizabeth Hope
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
778:Eileen Garrett
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
673:Rosemary Brown
670:
668:William Breeze
665:
660:
655:
650:
648:Charles Bailey
645:
640:
638:Rosemary Altea
635:
629:
627:
623:
622:
620:
619:
614:
609:
604:
599:
594:
589:
584:
579:
574:
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
538:
536:
532:
531:
522:
520:
519:
512:
505:
497:
489:
488:
468:
455:
451:978-0850300130
434:
415:
395:
372:
353:
330:
314:
293:
269:
222:
210:
165:
164:
162:
159:
158:
157:
152:
145:
142:
141:
140:
130:
127:
66:
63:
30:
27:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1393:
1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1361:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1280:Frank Podmore
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1230:Joseph McCabe
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1195:Harry Houdini
1193:
1191:
1190:Terence Hines
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1135:Eric Dingwall
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1066:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:Organizations
1005:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
948:Maria Silbert
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
908:Leonora Piper
906:
904:
901:
899:
898:Einer Nielsen
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
853:Franek Kluski
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
738:Harry Edwards
736:
734:
733:Eddy Brothers
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
693:Florence Cook
691:
689:
688:Doris Collins
686:
684:
681:
679:
678:Sylvia Browne
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
653:Bangs Sisters
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
630:
628:
626:Spiritualists
624:
618:
615:
613:
612:Table-turning
610:
608:
605:
603:
600:
598:
595:
593:
590:
588:
585:
583:
582:Spirit guides
580:
578:
575:
573:
570:
568:
565:
563:
562:Faith healing
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
543:
540:
539:
537:
533:
529:
525:
518:
513:
511:
506:
504:
499:
498:
495:
486:
485:0-674-26708-7
482:
478:
472:
469:
465:
459:
456:
452:
448:
444:
438:
435:
431:
430:
425:
419:
416:
412:
406:
404:
402:
400:
396:
393:
392:0-19-924962-8
389:
385:
381:
376:
373:
369:
368:
363:
357:
354:
351:
347:
343:
337:
335:
331:
326:
325:
318:
315:
310:
306:
305:
297:
294:
289:
285:
281:
280:
273:
270:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
226:
223:
219:
214:
211:
205:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
173:
171:
167:
160:
156:
153:
151:
148:
147:
143:
138:
137:
133:
132:
128:
126:
124:
119:
117:
112:
110:
109:
103:
98:
95:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
64:
62:
60:
59:Charles Watts
56:
52:
48:
42:
40:
36:
28:
26:
24:
19:
1381:Spiritualism
1325:Gordon Stein
1150:Chris French
1115:Edward Clodd
1100:Derren Brown
1090:Ruth Brandon
1075:David Abbott
998:Chico Xavier
958:Doris Stokes
933:Jane Roberts
863:Oliver Lodge
848:Allan Kardec
828:William Hope
763:Leslie Flint
728:Helen Duncan
718:Frank Decker
713:Pearl Curran
698:Mina Crandon
683:Eva Carrière
658:Ada Besinnet
633:Derek Acorah
607:Spirit world
524:Spiritualism
476:
471:
463:
458:
442:
437:
427:
423:
418:
410:
383:
375:
365:
361:
356:
341:
323:
317:
308:
302:
296:
278:
272:
239:
235:
225:
213:
189:(452): 256.
186:
182:
135:
129:Publications
120:
113:
106:
99:
96:
68:
43:
35:John Lubbock
32:
23:Spiritualism
17:
15:
1300:James Randi
1290:Harry Price
1265:Joe Nickell
1250:Albert Moll
1215:David Marks
1145:Henry Evans
993:Etta Wriedt
988:Jack Webber
953:Henry Slade
938:William Roy
803:Alec Harris
798:Robert Hare
768:Arthur Ford
758:Fox sisters
753:Colin Evans
743:John Edward
643:Dan Aykroyd
65:1871 report
1360:Categories
1330:Amy Tanner
1185:Carl Hertz
923:Bert Reese
838:Cecil Husk
788:Rita Goold
572:Mediumship
382:. (2002).
242:(3): 434.
161:References
978:Ena Twigg
793:Jan Guzyk
773:Colin Fry
557:Ectoplasm
528:spiritism
195:0007-1447
108:The Times
1068:Skeptics
264:11630505
144:See also
256:2173367
204:2260900
102:séances
29:History
617:Theism
577:SĂ©ance
542:Apport
483:
449:
390:
348:
262:
254:
201:
193:
82:, and
252:JSTOR
526:and
481:ISBN
447:ISBN
388:ISBN
346:ISBN
260:PMID
191:ISSN
90:and
49:and
16:The
284:hdl
244:doi
199:PMC
1362::
426:.
398:^
364:.
333:^
309:19
307:.
258:.
250:.
240:31
238:.
234:.
197:.
185:.
181:.
169:^
125:.
78:,
74:,
25:.
516:e
509:t
502:v
290:.
286::
266:.
246::
207:.
187:2
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.