Abstract: The serious student of psychical research is certain to encounter friends, relatives, associates and acquaintances who are puzzled by his interest, especially his interest in death and, concomitantly, the survival of consciousness. Some will scoff, some will snicker, some will smirk, some will simply smile and sympathetically shake their heads. The author often finds himself musing over such reactions, reciprocally puzzled by the obstinacy of some and the credulity of others, all the while subjecting his own views to a critical examination. This article represents such random musing.