JM102: It’s All Real

“They say miracles are past, and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern and familiar, things supernatural and causeless. Hence it is that we make trifles of terrors, ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear.” — William Shakespeare, All’s Well That Ends Well

There was a time when it seemed that scientific progress would eradicate belief in the supernatural. But the supernatural did not vanish with our decision to stop believing in it. In this six-week series of lectures and discussions, J.F. Martel will lead an inquiry into the possibility that supernatural beings—ghosts, demons, spirits, and ultraterrestrials—are not merely artifacts of human psychology or a cultural myth, but real entities with a persistent presence in our world. Alongside these creatures, the course will also delve into the phenomena often associated with the Otherworld, such as hauntings, psychic powers, and magic.

Nothing is off the table: From poltergeists to vampires, goblins to Bigfoot, levitators to telepaths, all things that go bump in the night are invited to this veritable banquet of the Weird. The goal is to give serious philosophical thought to a topic that has been almost universally shunned by philosophers. In addition to examining real-world encounters, including personal ones for those willing to share, participants will engage in an appraisal of our modern thaumatophobia—our fear of wonder—while exploring alternative metaphysical models that are better aligned with reality as human beings actually experience it.

In this exploration, the class will draw on the work of those who have spoken with courage and insight for the unseen— investigators and scholars such as Victoria Nelson, John Keel, George P. Hansen, and Colin Wilson.  The ideas of Henri Bergson, William James, and other thinkers will come into play. Religious modes of belief will mingle with secular theory as we try to find the zone where the Real can be met on its own terms. Documented cases of supernatural phenomena will enliven the intellectual investigation, allowing real-world testimony to conspire with careful thought to give us the conditions of the possible and the outer limits of reality.

By the end, we may find ourselves in a new world.