Kardecist spiritism , also known as Spiritism or Kardecism is a reincarnationist and spiritualist doctrine established in France in the mid-19th century by writer and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (a.k.a. Allan Kardec ). Kardec considered his doctrine to derive from a Christian perspective. He described a cycle by which a spirit supposedly returns to material existence after the death of the old body in which it dwelled, as well as the evolution it undergoes during this process. Kardecism emerged as a new religious movement in tandem with spiritualism, the notions and practices associated with spiritual communication disseminated throughout North America and Europe since the 1850s.
67-448: Kardec coined the term spiritism in 1857 and defined it as "the doctrine founded on the existence, manifestations, and teachings of spirits". Kardec claimed that spiritism combines scientific, philosophical, and religious aspects of the tangible universe and what he described as the universe beyond transcendence. After observing table-turning , a kind of seance, he was intrigued that the tables seemed to move despite lacking muscles and that
134-407: A "perversion", as parapsychologists claim that science cannot be the only privileged field that is exempt from the explanations they defend. Animal magnetism (mesmerism) is also present in spiritist teachings, with constant references to mesmeric concepts such as magnetic fluids. According to this hypothesis, some people could perform healings through "fluids". However, the animal magnetism hypothesis
201-551: A careful series of experiments. They claimed to have demonstrated that the movements of the table were due to a physical force emanating from the bodies of the sitters, for which they proposed the name ectenic force . Their conclusion rested on the supposed elimination of all known physical causes for the movements; but it is doubtful from the description of the experiments whether the precautions taken were sufficient to exclude unconscious muscular action (the ideomotor effect ) or even deliberate fraud. In England, table-turning became
268-411: A determined number of knocks to respond yes or no, as agreed upon, to a proposed question. Despite the belief that supposed spirits or geniuses were moving the tables, Michael Faraday 's scientific experiments published in 1853 showed that the movements were caused by the ideomotor effect and dismissed paranormal explanations for the phenomenon of table-turning. The ideomotor effect also causes
335-445: A doctrinal body, is singular, making the use of the term Kardecist spiritism redundant. Thus, those who adhere to the teachings codified by Kardec in the basic works (with varying degrees of tolerance for concepts that are not strictly doctrinal, such as apometry ) simply identify themselves as spiritists , without the addition of Kardecist . The works themselves disapprove of the use of other expressions like Kardecist , stating that
402-403: A fashionable diversion and was practised all over the country in the year 1853. John Elliotson and his followers attributed the phenomena to mesmerism . The general public were content to find the explanation of the movements in spirits, animal magnetism , Odic force , galvanism , electricity , or even the rotation of the earth. Some Evangelical clergymen alleged that the spirits who caused
469-542: A mere convention, but on more solid foundations: the very laws of Nature. At the International Spiritist Congress held in Paris in 1925, there was a proposal to remove the religious aspect from Spiritism, but the important French Spiritist philosopher Léon Denis opposed it with tenacity, even in his already weak physical condition of health. According to Denis, Spiritism was not the "religion of
536-413: A method that involved a pin driven into the table and the use of a ring with a slot on the medium's finger. Once the pin entered the slot, the table could be lifted. Another example comes from Eusapia Palladino , who used custom-made boots with soles that extended beyond the boots' edges in order to lift tables. According to John Mulholland : The multiplicity of methods used to tip and raise tables in
603-613: A movement of social assistance and philanthropy. The doctrine has had a strong influence on various other religious currents, such as Santería , Umbanda , and the New Age movements . The term spiritisme was created by the French educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (known as Allan Kardec) to specifically name the body of ideas systematized by him in The Spirits' Book (1857). To designate new things, new terms are needed. This
670-444: A notable promotion of psychiatry and homeopathy . Dr. Adolfo Bezerra de Menezes, a spiritist and physician, wrote the classic book A Loucura sob Novo Prisma (Insanity from a New Perspective), seeking to relate the issue of mental disorders to Spiritism and promote the application of more effective treatment methods in the field of mental health. Currently, psychiatrist and parapsychologist Alexander Moreira-Almeida, coordinator of
737-412: A philosophy, it encompasses all the moral consequences that emanate from these same relations." Some still contest the religious aspect of Spiritism; however, in the book published by its codifier, titled O Espiritismo na sua mais simples expressão (Spiritism in its simplest expression), he clearly asserts: "From a religious point of view, Spiritism is based on the fundamental truths of all religions: God,
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#1732791586760804-677: A previous incarnation. He also dismisses other texts generally cited in support of reincarnation. The qualification of Spiritism itself as Christian has also generated controversy. Dr. Antônio Flávio Pierucci, professor at the Department of Sociology at the University of São Paulo (USP) and scholar of Brazilian religiosity, is one of those who affirm that Spiritism is "not a Christian religion." There are no historical Christian doctrines within Spiritism, present in its main branches, such as
871-406: A séance is almost as great as the number of mediums performing the feat. One of the simplest was to slide the hands back until one or both of the medium's thumbs could catch hold of the table top. Another way was to exert no pressure on the table at all, and in the event that the sitter opposite the medium did press on the table, to permit the table to tip far enough away from him so that he could get
938-433: Is a spiritualist. However, it does not follow that they believe in the existence of Spirits or in their communications with the visible world. Instead of using the words spiritual, spiritualism, we employ, to indicate the belief we have just referred to, the terms Spiritist and Spiritism, whose form recalls the origin and the radical sense and which, for that reason, have the advantage of being perfectly intelligible, leaving to
1005-406: Is considered pseudoscientific, as scientists have known since the second half of the 18th century that the alleged healings were purely psychosomatic, achieved through hypnosis , without any involvement of "fluids" or animal magnetism. According to Joseph McCabe , citing the claims of Arthur Conan Doyle about scientists confirming the alleged spiritual phenomena for 30 years, the mediums deceived
1072-464: Is due to the triple aspect of Spiritism, which allows it to be classified as a doctrine that aligns "science-philosophy-religion". In the preamble of the book O Que É o Espiritismo? (What is Spiritism?), Kardec states that "Spiritism is, at the same time, a science of observation and a philosophical doctrine. As a practical science, it consists of the relations established between us and the Spirits; as
1139-512: Is profound, as evidenced by its presence in many spiritist books and the existence of the International Spiritist Medical Association, which brings together medical-spiritist associations from various countries. Spiritism constitutes a vast international movement of charity and healthcare institutions, as evidenced mainly by the existence of such associations, numerous hospitals and spiritist centers, and
1206-415: Is required by the clarity of language in order to avoid the confusion inherent in the variety of meanings of the same words. The words spiritual, spiritualist, spiritualism have a well-defined meaning. To give them another meaning, to apply them to the doctrine of Spirits, would be to multiply the already numerous causes of amphibology . (...) Whoever believes to have something within themselves beyond matter,
1273-548: Is stated that Spiritism is "the only truly Christian tradition." Spiritist writers such as José Reis Chaves and Severino Celestino da Silva also claim that reincarnation was part of early Christianity until it was condemned by the Second Council of Constantinople . This controversial thesis was popularized even earlier by Leslie Weatherhead but has also been questioned based on statements from the Church Fathers and
1340-480: Is very close to being an idiot. Let us be reverent before the possible, whose limits no one knows; let us be attentive and serious in the presence of the superhuman, from which we come and to which we are heading. Founded on April 18, 1857, with the publication of The Spirits' Book , Spiritism was structured based on alleged dialogues established with disembodied spirits that, by manifesting through mediums, expounded on scientific, religious, and philosophical topics from
1407-562: The Trinity , the physical resurrection of Jesus , the inspiration of the Bible , and redemption . Due to these differences, many scholars consider it a form of neo-Christianity. However, Spiritist writers argue that Spiritism is Christian because it promotes the teaching of loving one's neighbor. According to followers and sympathizers of Spiritist doctrine, mediumistic phenomena is universal and has always existed, including abundant accounts in
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#17327915867601474-487: The "Section on Spirituality, Religiosity, and Psychiatry" of the World Psychiatric Association, is one of the leading figures in the scientific study of the relationship between health and spiritual experiences, especially mediumship. There is no consensus among Spiritists as to whether Spiritism is a religion or not, despite the doctrine being classified as a religion in demographic surveys. This
1541-569: The Bible. Among others, Spiritists cite biblical mediumistic examples, such as Moses' prohibition of "consulting the dead", which would be evidence of the Jewish belief in this possibility, since something unrealizable is not prohibited; the consultation of Saul , the first king of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, with the Witch of Endor , in 1 Samuel 28, who sees and hears the disembodied spirit of Samuel ,
1608-545: The God of the Spiritists, is not a cruel and vengeful tyrant who punishes a moment of folly with eternal torments, but a good and merciful father who watches over his wayward children with constant solicitude, seeking to draw them to himself through a series of tests designed to cleanse them of all impurities. The first manifestations of table-turning observed by Kardec involved tables lifting and knocking, using one of their legs,
1675-707: The International Spiritist Council, spiritism is present in 36 countries, with over 13 million followers, being most widespread in Brazil , where it has approximately 3.8 million followers, according to the data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics , and over 30 million sympathizers, according to the Brazilian Spiritist Federation . Spiritists are also known for influencing and promoting
1742-656: The Opening Address of the Annual Commemorative Session of the Day of the Dead (Society of Paris, November 1, 1868), where he states: If that is the case, you may ask, is Spiritism a religion? Well, yes, undoubtedly, gentlemen! In the philosophical sense, Spiritism is a religion, and we take pride in it because it is the doctrine that establishes the bonds of fraternity and communion of thoughts, not on
1809-626: The Spiritist philosopher Herculano Pires, "Spiritist Philosophy, as Kardec said, generically belongs to what we usually call Spiritualist Philosophy because its view of the Universe is not limited to Matter but extends to Spirit, which it considers as the cause of everything we perceive in the material plane. Embracing in its cosmological interpretation Spiritist Science and resulting in Spiritist Religion, Spiritist Philosophy encompasses
1876-620: The United States, unifying the information he interpreted in order to codify this type of practice and the teachings transmitted. Let us prove to them that, thanks to the teachings of those they call demons, we understand the sublime morality of the Gospel, which is summed up in the love of God and our fellow men, and in universal charity. Let us embrace all of humanity, without distinction of worship, race, origin, and, even more so, family, wealth, and social status. Let them know that our God,
1943-480: The believers of table-turning. Faraday's work was followed up a century later by clinical psychologist Kenneth Batcheldor who pioneered the use of infrared video recording to observe experimental subjects in complete darkness. Apart from the ideomotor effect, conscious fraudulent table tipping has also been uncovered. Professional magicians and skeptics have exposed many of the methods utilized by mediums to tip tables. The magician Chung Ling Soo described
2010-582: The canonical gospels from the perspective of Spiritist Doctrine, addressing the application of Christian moral principles and religious matters such as the practice of worship, prayer, and charity with special attention. The work Heaven and Hell , or Divine Justice According to Spiritism , was published in 1865 and consists of two parts: in the first part, Kardec critically examines philosophical contradictions and inconsistencies with scientific knowledge, which he believes can be overcome through Spiritist paradigm of reasoned faith. Topics covered include: causes of
2077-470: The case of " table-turning ". The supposed case of the Fox sisters in the United States stood out in the late 1840s. The true Spiritist is not the one who believes in the manifestations, but the one who benefits from the teachings given by the Spirits. Belief is of no use if it does not make one take a step forward on the path of progress and make one better towards their neighbor. Regarding his background, Kardec
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2144-428: The codified teachings, in their essence, are not linked to the unique figure of a man, as is the case with Christianity or Buddhism , but rather to a collective of spirits whom they believe manifested themselves through various mediums at that historical moment and were expected to continue communicating, thus keeping the doctrinal body in a constant evolutionary process. However, another portion of followers considers
2211-482: The creation of the doctrine, aiding its understanding. The scientific investigation of the facts and causes of alleged mediumistic phenomena is the subject of intense study, mainly within the pseudoscience of parapsychology. Scientific investigations on mediumship and other "spiritual phenomena" advocated by Spiritism have taken place/take place even within the academic setting, but although many scientists, including renowned ones, have claimed to have provided evidence for
2278-598: The creation of the universe, the formation of worlds, the emergence of the spirit, and the nature of so-called miracles, according to the Spiritist paradigm of understanding reality. The book Sic Cogito wrote by B.P. Hașdeu and published in 1892 is one of the most important books about spiritism. The book What Is Spiritism? , published in 1859, serves as an introductory and didactic work on Spiritism. The periodical Revue Spirite (in Portuguese, Spiritist Review ), dedicated exclusively to Spiritism-related topics,
2345-482: The death of the body, and primarily in the possibility of communicating with them, either casually or deliberately, through evocations or spontaneously. The term Kardecism is repudiated by some followers of the doctrine who reserve the word spiritism solely for the doctrine as codified by Kardec, affirming that there are no different branches within spiritism , and they refer to believers of various currents as spiritualists . These followers believe that spiritism, as
2412-542: The entire doctrine." The Spiritist doctrine, in general, is based on the following points (principles): Additionally, secondary characteristics can be mentioned: Spiritism does not have an official symbol and prioritizes a denotative language. However, the vine branch depicted in The Spirits' Book – the only engraving used by Kardec in the Spiritist Codification – is considered by the doctrine as
2479-897: The existence of such phenomena in their research through the scientific method , the existence of spirits is neither established nor proven. Mediumship has been studied by scientists and scholars for more than a century. Many scientists and intellectuals have dedicated themselves to investigations of mediumship and its implications for the mind–body relationship , including: Kardec, Alfred Russel Wallace , B.P. Hașdeu , Alexandre Aksakof, Cesare Lombroso , Camille Flammarion , Carl Jung , Charles Richet , Gabriel Delanne , Frederic Myers , Hans Eysenck, Henri Bergson , Ian Stevenson , J. J. Thomson , J. B. Rhine , James H. Hyslop, Johann K. F. Zöllner , Lord Rayleigh , Marie Curie , Oliver Lodge , Pierre Curie , Pierre Janet , Théodore Flournoy , William Crookes , William James , and William McDougall. The relationship between Spiritism itself and medicine
2546-461: The expectation of the sitters, and could be stopped altogether by appropriate suggestion . Michel Eugène Chevreul explained that the purported magical movement was due to involuntary and unconscious muscular reactions. Michael Faraday devised a simple apparatus which conclusively demonstrated that the movements he investigated were due to unconscious muscular action. The apparatus consisted of two small boards, with glass rollers between them,
2613-594: The fear of death, why Spiritists do not fear death, heaven, the Christian hell imitated from the pagan one, limbo, purgatory, doctrine of eternal punishments, penal code of the afterlife, angels, the origin of the belief in demons. The second part contains dozens of dialogues that purportedly took place between Kardec and various spirits, in which they recount their impressions from the afterlife. The book The Genesis According to Spiritism , published in 1868, addresses various philosophical and scientific questions, such as
2680-406: The future" but rather the "future of religions". Table-turning Table-turning (also known as table-tapping , table-tipping or table-tilting ) is a type of séance in which participants sit around a table , place their hands on it, and wait for rotations. The table was purportedly made to serve as a means of communicating with the spirits; the alphabet would be slowly spoken aloud and
2747-453: The imperfections of others, and forgiveness of offenses. The Spiritist doctrine aims to establish a dialogue between science, philosophy, and religion, with the goal of obtaining an original form that is both more comprehensive and profound, in order to better understand reality. Kardec synthesizes the concept with the famous phrase: "Unshakable faith is only the one that can confront reason face to face in all epochs of humanity." According to
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2814-464: The island of Jersey (1851–1855), participated in numerous table-turning sessions with his friend Auguste Vacquerie and came to believe that he had made contact with deceased spirits, including his daughter Léopoldine (who had died by drowning) and great writers such as Shakespeare , Dante , Racine , and Molière . Faced with experiences with table-turning, Hugo converted to spiritualism, and in 1867 called for science to pay attention to and take seriously
2881-490: The lack of references to reincarnation during that Council. Agnostic scholar Bart D. Ehrman claims that evidence that early Christians believed in reincarnation is scant. Christian theologian Norman Geisler claims that there is no evidence of reincarnation in the Bible. According to him, the famous text in John 9:2–3 reflects the rabbinic belief in prenatal sins, according to which a fetus could commit sin before birth, but not in
2948-523: The last of the judges of Israel and the first of the prophets recorded in the history of his people; and the communication of Jesus with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor in the Transfiguration of Jesus ( 9 ). Ancient philosophy also provides examples: in Plato's Dialogues , he speaks about the daimon or genius that accompanied Socrates . Many Spiritists adopt March 31, 1848 (the beginning of
3015-623: The mediumistic events at the residence of the Fox sisters in Hydesville, US) as the initial milestone of modern mediumistic manifestations, allegedly more ostensive and frequent than ever before, which led many researchers to delve into such phenomena. During the 19th century, there was a great wave of manifestations of mediumship in the United States and Europe. These manifestations consisted mainly of strange noises, knocks on furniture, and objects that moved or floated without any apparent cause, as in
3082-428: The movements observed in the so-called ouija board and the "cup game", in which participants involuntarily move markers over letters and numbers and also attribute the movements to supposed spirits or geniuses . Analyzing these phenomena, Kardec concluded that there was nothing convincing about this method for skeptics because they could believe it to be an effect of electricity, whose properties were little known to
3149-516: The movements were of a diabolic nature. In France, Allan Kardec studied the phenomenon and concluded in The Book on Mediums that some communications were caused by an outside intelligence, as the message contained information that was not known to the group. The Scottish surgeon James Braid , the English physiologist W. B. Carpenter and others pointed out that the phenomena could depend upon
3216-465: The perfect metaphorical image of the relationship between the spirit and the human body, due to this passage: You shall place at the head of the book the vine branch that we have drawn for you, for it is the emblem of the work of the Creator. All the material principles that can best represent the body and the spirit are contained in it. The body is the vine branch, the spirit is the liquor, the soul or
3283-409: The perspective of Christian morality, that is, with the principle of love for one's neighbor, bringing to light new perspectives on various subjects of great philosophical and theological relevance. Thus, one of the basic precepts of Spiritism was established, which is the importance of charity, (Motto: Outside of charity, there is no salvation ), understood as benevolence towards all, indulgence towards
3350-400: The phenomena of table-turning: The table that turns or speaks has been greatly ridiculed. Let us speak plainly. This mockery is unjustifiable. To replace examination with contempt is convenient but unscientific. We believe that the elementary duty of Science is to verify all phenomena because if Science ignores them, it has no right to laugh at them. A wise person who laughs at what is possible
3417-482: The possibility of a muscular hypothesis (such as the ideomotor effect) being the cause of all the alleged movements and messages of the table-turning or other mechanical productions. The mysterious being who responded in this way, when questioned about its nature, declared that it was a spirit or genius , gave its name, and provided various information about itself. Eventually, the phenomenon decreased in popularity and became anecdotal. Victor Hugo , during his exile on
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#17327915867603484-582: The religious movement, due to the existing proximity between certain concepts and practices of it and Kardec's spiritism. Alexander Moreira de Almeida still attempts this legitimation, even calling Kardec's approach "revolutionary." However, the current scientific consensus considers parapsychology a pseudoscience , disregarding the alleged paranormal phenomena that underpin spiritism, such as mediumship, reincarnation, obsession , table-turning , séances , automatic writing , spiritualist art , and typology . Critics of pseudoscience even define parapsychology as
3551-459: The researchers. He considers that these deceptions led to the arrogant language of spiritualist literature. An article published in the British skeptical magazine The Skeptic also criticizes Spiritism for its association with ufology , parapsychology, animal magnetism, and other pseudosciences. Kardec taught that "the teaching of the Spirits is eminently Christian." In Posthumous Works , it
3618-441: The science of that time. Methods were then used to obtain more elaborate responses through the letters of the alphabet: the table knocking a certain number of times would correspond to the sequential number of each letter, thus forming words and sentences in response to the proposed questions. Kardec concluded that the precision of the answers and their correlation with the questions could not be attributed to chance. He also questioned
3685-401: The so-called complementary works, such as What is Spiritism? , Spiritist Review , and Posthumous Works . Its followers consider spiritism a doctrine focused on the moral improvement of humanity and believe in the existence of a single God, the possibility of useful communication with spirits through mediums, and reincarnation as a process of spiritual growth and divine justice. According to
3752-404: The soul, immortality, rewards and punishments in the afterlife, but it is independent of any particular cult. Its goal is to prove to those who deny or doubt that the soul exists, that it survives the body, and that it experiences, after death, the consequences of the good and evil deeds committed during corporeal life: the goal of all religions." Kardec also clarifies that Spiritism is a religion in
3819-465: The spirit linked to matter is the grape. Man refines the spirit through work, and you know that it is only through the work of the body that the Spirit acquires knowledge. Below are some of the main works published by Allan Kardec: The work The Spirits' Book was published in 1857 and contains the fundamental principles of Spiritist Doctrine. The Mediums' Book , or Guide for Mediums and Invokers ,
3886-440: The spirits was for several persons to sit round a table, with their hands resting on it, and wait for the table to move. If the experiment was successful, the table would rotate with considerable rapidity and would occasionally rise in the air, or perform other movements. Whilst most spiritualists ascribed the table movements to the agency of spirits, two investigators, Count de Gasparin and Professor Thury of Geneva conducted
3953-402: The table would tilt at the appropriate letter, thus spelling out words and sentences. The process is similar to that of a Ouija board. Scientists and skeptics consider table-turning to be the result of the ideomotor effect , or of conscious trickery. When the movement of spiritualism first reached Europe from America in the winter of 1852–1853, the most popular method of consulting
4020-674: The tables seemed to provide answers without having a brain, the spiritualist claims being "It is not the table that thinks! It is us, the souls of the men who have lived on Earth." Kardec also focused his attention on a variety of other paranormal claims such as "incorporation" and mediumship. Kardecist doctrine is based on five basic works, known as the Spiritist Codification , published between 1857 and 1868. The codification consists of The Spirits' Book , The Mediums' Book , The Gospel According to Spiritism , Heaven and Hell , and The Genesis . Additionally, there are
4087-572: The toe of one foot under the table leg. He would then immediately put pressure on his side, and, holding the table between his hands and his toe, move it about at will. By this method a small table can be made to float two feet off the floor... Another method was to catch the under side of the table top with the knee; and still another was merely to kick the table into the air. History of spiritism in Brazil#Apometry Too Many Requests If you report this error to
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#17327915867604154-508: The use of the term Kardecism appropriate. These expressions emerged from the need of some to distinguish spiritism (as originally defined by Kardec) from Afro-Brazilian religions such as Umbanda . The latter, discriminated against and persecuted at various times in Brazilian history, began to identify themselves as spiritists (at one point with the support of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation ), in an effort to legitimize and consolidate
4221-478: The whole fastened together by india-rubber bands in such a manner that the upper board could slide under lateral pressure to a limited extent over the lower one. The occurrence of such lateral movement was at once indicated by means of an upright haystalk fastened to the apparatus. When by this means it was made clear to the experimenters that it was the fingers which moved the table, the phenomena generally ceased. After this experimental approach, Faraday criticized
4288-410: The word spiritualism its own meaning. However, the use of the term, whose root is common to various Western nations of Latin origin or Anglo-Saxon, quickly led to its incorporation into everyday usage to designate everything related to the alleged communication with spirits. Thus, today the term spiritism refers to various religious and philosophical doctrines that assert the survival of spirits after
4355-498: Was a disciple of Pestalozzi and a member of various academic societies. His main intention as a Spiritist was to provide some support to human spirituality at a time when science was advancing rapidly and religions were losing more and more followers. Kardec believed he had found a new way of thinking about reality that would bring together, in a balanced way, the rising science and the declining religion. He analyzed accounts of numerous mediumistic occurrences spread throughout Europe and
4422-533: Was founded by Kardec and directed by him until his death in 1869. It has had the participation of several prominent figures in the doctrine and is currently published quarterly. The work Posthumous Works , published posthumously in January 1890 by the directors of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, is a compilation of unpublished writings by Kardec, with annotations about the behind-the-scenes of
4489-448: Was published in 1861 and discusses the experimental and investigative nature of Spiritism, seen as a theoretical and methodological tool to understand a "new order of phenomena" that had never been considered by scientific knowledge: the so-called spiritist or mediumistic phenomena, which were believed to be caused by the intervention of spirits in physical reality. The book The Gospel According to Spiritism , published in 1864, evaluates
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