Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Received a copy of Arthur Conan Doyle's book "The History of Spiritualism".  It intrigues me that a man of medicine and creator of Sherlock Holmes who was all about science and physical solutions should turn strongly to Spiritualism in the later days of his life.  Is this something that most people do?  Is it a panic reaction to the fear of death as the time gets closer?  I'm running with this idea at the moment as it makes the idea of my Captain turning from physical to spirit throughout the animation.  As his impending doom gets closer he himself becomes a believer from fear, a last minute resort