author
Emile Boirac
1851–1917
Best known for exploring the borderland between philosophy, psychology, and the paranormal, this French thinker also helped champion Esperanto in its early years. His work reflects a lively late-19th-century curiosity about the powers of the mind and the possibility of a shared international language.
1 Audiobook
Perdita kaj retrovita : originala rakonto
by Emile Boirac
About the author
Born in Guelma, Algeria, on August 26, 1851, Émile Boirac became a French philosopher, writer, and educator. He went on to hold prominent academic posts, including leadership roles at the University of Grenoble and later the University of Dijon.
Boirac is especially remembered for his interest in unusual mental and physical phenomena. He wrote about hypnotism, psychical research, and related subjects at a time when many scholars were debating how far science could explain the hidden workings of the mind. He is also often credited with helping popularize the term déjà vu.
Alongside his philosophical and psychological interests, Boirac was an energetic supporter of Esperanto. He presided over the first Universal Congress of Esperanto in 1905 and played an important role in the movement’s early development. He died in Dijon, France, on September 20, 1917.