Reception and Contestation: Mathematics and Esoteric Spirituality, 1875–1915

When considering their problem-solving potential, it is relatively easy to overlook the ways mathematical ideas can resonate in the cultural imagination. Opportunities for remediation are plentiful; however, religious contemplation, as but one area of cultural thought and expression, has a long tradition of engaging with mathematical knowledge. The nineteenth century is a particularly rich period to explore in this regard, as Western perspectives on religious beliefs were being challenged and renegotiated in the wake of new developments in both science and mathematics. At the same time, Eastern religious traditions and mysticism represented potent alternatives for some, owing to the dynamics of colonialism, emerging interests in comparative analyses, and renewed enthusiasm for Spiritualism, among other things. This chapter surveys and examines the ways that mathematical ideas related to higher-dimensional spaces featured in discourses and debates that reflected interest in esoteric spirituality at the end of the long nineteenth century (c. 1789–1914). Of particular relevance is Theosophy, a spiritual movement that encouraged both enlightened thinking, including scientific scrutiny, and social reform. Adherents addressed the notion of higher-dimensional spaces in relation to both of these inclinations, though its reception was neither straightforward nor unchallenged. Still, the extent to which mathematical and spiritual ideas circulated among Theosophists provides a compelling example of the (perhaps) unintended ways that disciplinary knowledge is received and contested in broader cultural contexts. It also advocates for considering mathematical ideas in relation to social histories that embrace more popular and spontaneous efforts in shaping and circulating knowledge.