Heymans, Gerardus (1857-1930)
Heymans, Gerardus (1857-1930)
Psychologist, philosopher, and pioneer of parapsychology in the Netherlands. Heymans established a laboratory for research in 1892 and led in the spread of experimental parapsychology in Holland in the years immediately after World War I. He was one of the founders of the Studievereniging voor Psychical Research (SPR), inaugurated on April 1, 1920, and served as its first president. The Dutch SPR served as a meeting ground for scientists, scholars, Spiritualists, and Theosophists.
Heymans followed the philosophy of psychic monism, according to which the universe consists of one stuff, consciousness of which each individual partakes. Having discovered a psychically gifted student, Heymans conducted telepathy experiments at the University of Groningen, tests widely cited for both design and positive results.
Sources:
Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.
Heymans, Gerardus. "Psychische Monismus und 'Psychical Research.' " In Zeitschrift für Psychologie. Leipzig: J. A. Barth, 1912.
Heymans, Gerardus, Henry J. F. W. Brugmans, and A. Weinberg. "Une communication sur des expériences télépathiques au laboratorie de psychologie a Groningue." In Compte Rendu Officiel du Primier Congres International des Recherches Psychiques. Copenhagen, 1922.
Pleasants, Helene, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology. New York: Helix Press, 1964.