V. An inquiry into the various physical phenomena commonly called Spiritual; with an attempt to discover their causes and general laws. VI. The collection and collation of existing materials bearing on the history of these subjects. The Society declared that it was its aim to approach these various problems without prejudice or prepossession of any kind, and in the same spirit of exact and unimpassioned inquiry which has enabled science to solve so many problems, once not less obscure, nor less hotly debated.