s no evidence that it does so exist.
So far as we can prove, life and consciousness become obliterated at the
moment of bodily death. And the only way to prove the contrary is to
produce evidence that consciousness does so persist; and this is only
possible by the methods adopted in spiritism and psychical research. In
no other way can the facts be established; by no other method can the
persistence of human consciousness be scientifically proved.

(2) It may be contended that consciousness, as such, may persist, but
that individuality does not survive bodily death: the human is merged
into the All. But such a view of the case seems to be directly opposed
to evidence no less than to moral feeling. For, in the first place,
persistence without memory and individuality would not be worth having
at all; and secondly, this idea is, it seems to me, directly opposed to
evolution, which tends more and more to accentuate individuality, and
separate and perfect it.

(3) On the other hand, it might possibly be that our persistence depends
upon our _ability_ to persist. The theory of mind developed by modern
researches in psycho-pathology is that the mind of man--instead of being
a single "unit," as was formerly supposed--is composed of a number of
threads or strands, so to speak, held together by our attention and our
will. Once these are relaxed, the mind "unravels" and goes to pieces. A
single, strongly-woven, and well-bound rope might stand a sudden wrench
and shock, while a less perfectly-made one would tear and snap under the
strain. Similarly, it might be urged, if the mind be sufficiently
balanced, strengthened, and controlled, it might withstand the shock of
death; otherwise it would not. Whether or not we persist would thus
depend upon our ability to control and hold ourselves together, as it
were; upon our strength of will; upon the degree of development of the
central personality. When this is lacking, "psychical disintegration"
takes place, and we fail to survive the last great Ordeal.

While this theory may possibly be true, it seems to me that it is very
probably untrue, for the reason that this is not a question of moral
worth which we are considering, but of scientific law--of the
Conservation of Energy, of the ability of life and consciousness of any
sort--good or bad--to exist apart from brain-functioning. That is the
question! Once grant that mind of any kind can persist by and of itself,
independent of a phys