Life — November 17, 1910 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Edison vs. Aked: A Debate on the Soul This page satirizes a public dispute between inventor **Thomas Edison** (who denied the immortality of the soul) and **Rev. Charles F. Aked** (a clergyman attacking Edison's position). The article mocks Aked's argument that Edison lacks authority to speak on metaphysical matters, noting that possessing an "unauthorized opinion" doesn't qualify anyone as a spiritual authority—a dig at religious pretension. The illustration titled "Orpheus in Hades" depicts a classical figure descending into the underworld, likely a visual metaphor for Edison's materialism or the broader clash between scientific rationalism and religious belief about human spirituality. The satirical point: both sides claim authority on unknowable matters.