This is a new release of the original 1938 edition.

In this book the reader is introduced to the concept of the occult, which means hidden or unseen, and occultism, which is the science of hidden forces and the art of subjecting those forces to human control. The nature and theory of the Inner (or Astral) Plane and how it interacts with the outer or physical plane is introduced along with the theory of astral vibrations and the nature of astral substance. The chapter on the Doctrine of Nativities covers the nature and origin of the soul, its birth into human form and the importance of the astrological birth chart as a map of the soul and its character. Mediumship, psychic phenomena and the paranormal are covered in detail because of their common association with the occult and swirl of misunderstanding and confusion that surrounds these subjects.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1921 Edition.

This book both introduces the philosophy of science through examination of the occult and examines the occult rigorously enough to raise central issues in the philosophy of science. Placed in the context of the occult, philosophy of science issues become immediately understandable and forcefully compelling. Divergent views on astrology, parapsychology, and quantum mechanics mysticism emphasize topics standard to the philosophy of science. Such issues as confirmation and selection for testing, causality and time, explanation and the nature of scientific laws, the status of theoretical entities, the problem of demarcation, theory and observation, and science and values are discussed. Significantly revised, this second edition presents an entirely new section of quantum mechanics and mysticism including instructions from N. David Mermin for constructing a device which dramatically illustrates the genuinely puzzling phenomena of quantum mechanics. A more complete and current review of research on astrology has been included in this new edition, and the section on the problem of demarcation has been broadened.