1776. Spirits make judgments on the basis of man's convictions
I spoke with spirits and noticed that because I demonstrated a point and was convinced, they became convinced regarding matters of which they could have no knowledge.
So it happened many times and on a variety of subjects, even scientific ones with which they were not familiar, as also in the case of numerous personal ones. Therefore I came to the conclusion, as I also told the spirits, that they judge and affirm things on the basis of my own conviction, so that even if I should prove something wrongly, they would still be convinced. For when it comes to personal matters, they are unable to judge for themselves, although they think that the knowledge that is in my memory is theirs.
Thus they possess people, even to the point of indignation when I told them that they do not know that point, but have it from me.
1776. THAT SPIRITS JUDGE FROM MAN'S PERSUASION.
In conversing with spirits, I observed that they were persuaded concerning things of which they could have no knowledge; this persuasion evidently arose from my being myself persuaded concerning anything which I was demonstrating. This happened very often, and in regard to a variety of subjects, even scientifics, which they had not known, as also in a multitude of particular things; from whence I was authorized to conclude, as I said to the spirits, that they judged and affirmed from my persuasion. Consequently if I demonstrated anything falsely, they would be persuaded concerning that also, for in respect to material things they cannot judge from themselves, though they still suppose that the knowledges which are in my memory are theirs. Thus they possess a man, even to the degree of being indignant when I said that they did not know themselves, but had it from me.
1776. Quod spiritus ex persuasione hominis, judicant
Locutus sum cum spiritibus, et observabam, quod ii persuaderentur de iis, quorum nullam habere potuerunt cognitionem, ex eo quod ego monstrabam id, et persuasus eram, sic multoties, ut de variis rebus, etiam scientificis, quae non noverant, sicut in particularibus multis, inde concludere potui, sicut etiam spiritibus dixi, quod ex mea persuasione judicent et affirment; quare etiam si false aliquid demonstrarem, quoque de iis persuaderentur, nam in rebus particularibus non ii ex semet judicare possunt, putant usque quod eorum cognitiones sint, quae sunt 1
in memoria mea, ita possident hominem, usque adeo, ut indignati sint, cum dixerim eos non id scire, sed habere ex memet.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has est