Spiritualism is a general term covering both certain philosophical statements of the reality and power of the spirit and of its relation to the material and corporeal world (1); and also certain tendencies and attitudes in the social and individual life of men in religious matters (2). The more common meaning in English (— “spiritism”), interest in certain abnormal phenomena attached to mediums etc., is not dealt with here; but see Psychology IV.

1. Spiritualistic tendencies in philosophy. In the history of philosophy, spiritualism is used to characterize opinions oppose…