G. T. Fechner: Difference between revisions

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'''Gustav Theodor Fechner''' (April 19, 1801 – November 18, 1887), was a German experimental psychologist who may have had contact with [[Koot Hoomi|Master K.H.]] in Leipzig.
'''Gustav Theodor Fechner''' (April 19, 1801 – November 18, 1887), was a German experimental psychologist. He was (provably erroneously) thought to be the "G. H. Fechner" mentioned by [[Koot Hoomi|Master K.H.]] in one of his letters:


According to [[Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']]:<br>
<blockquote>I may answer you, what I said to G. H. Fechner one day, when he wanted to know the Hindu view on what he had written — "You are right; . . . 'every diamond, every crystal, every plant and star has its own individual soul, besides man and animal . . .' and, 'there is a hierarchy of souls from the lowest forms of matter up to the World Soul' . . ."<ref>Theosophy Wiki [[Mahatma Letter No. 18#Page 13|Mahatma Letter No. 18, pages 13-14]].</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>
Fechner, G. T., a German scholar. In "Master Koot Hoomi's Travels (Appendix F <nowiki>[</nowiki>of [[Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']]<nowiki>]</nowiki>) it is stated: "Dr. Hugh Wernekke and Professor Fechner speak of his (KH's) attendance at the University of Leipzig in 1875, and of his later visit to Zurich." ... C. C. Massey, who was skeptical about KH's existence, wrote to Dr. Wernekke of Weimar, who received from Professor Fechner at Leipzig, on April 25, 1883, the following: "What Mr. Massey enquires about is undoubtedly in the main correct. The name of the Hindu concerned was however Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya, not Koot Hoomi. In the middle of the seventies he lived for about one year in Leipzig and aroused a certain interest owing to his foreign nationality, without being otherwise conspicuous. He was introduced to several families and became a member of the Academic Philosphical Society ... where on one occasion he gave a lecture o Buddhism ... In case it may be wondered why he used a different name, it may be mentioned that when members of his Order have to travel in the outer world they always do so incognito ..." [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|ML]], p 44, is one of the few instances in which definite mention is made of KH's contacts with the outside world . [[H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings (book)| HPB]] III: 508.<ref>George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., ''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 230-231.</ref>
</blockquote>


However, [[Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya]] was probably not Master K.H.
When Prof. G. T. Fechner was asked about having met a Hindu at Leipzig, he said he did, although said that the name of the Hindu concerned was Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya, not Koot Hoomi. The following was reported about him:
 
<blockquote>In the middle of the seventies he lived for about one year in Leipzig and aroused a certain interest owing to his foreign nationality, without being otherwise conspicuous. He was introduced to several families and became a member of the Academic Philosphical Society ... where on one occasion he gave a lecture o Buddhism...<ref>George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., ''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 230-231.</ref></blockquote>
 
[[Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya]] was erroneously thought to have been a pseudonym for Master K.H.


== Writings ==
== Writings ==

Revision as of 17:51, 12 June 2019

Gustav Theodor Fechner (April 19, 1801 – November 18, 1887), was a German experimental psychologist. He was (provably erroneously) thought to be the "G. H. Fechner" mentioned by Master K.H. in one of his letters:

I may answer you, what I said to G. H. Fechner one day, when he wanted to know the Hindu view on what he had written — "You are right; . . . 'every diamond, every crystal, every plant and star has its own individual soul, besides man and animal . . .' and, 'there is a hierarchy of souls from the lowest forms of matter up to the World Soul' . . ."[1]

When Prof. G. T. Fechner was asked about having met a Hindu at Leipzig, he said he did, although said that the name of the Hindu concerned was Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya, not Koot Hoomi. The following was reported about him:

In the middle of the seventies he lived for about one year in Leipzig and aroused a certain interest owing to his foreign nationality, without being otherwise conspicuous. He was introduced to several families and became a member of the Academic Philosphical Society ... where on one occasion he gave a lecture o Buddhism...[2]

Nisi Kanta Chattopadhyaya was erroneously thought to have been a pseudonym for Master K.H.

Writings

On Life After Death. Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company, 1917. 3rd edition.

Notes

  1. ↑ Theosophy Wiki Mahatma Letter No. 18, pages 13-14.
  2. ↑ George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 230-231.
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