An Evaluative Report on the Current Status of Parapsychology
Abstract
This reports constitutes a critical review of eight major research areas in the field of parapsychology over the past twenty years. The report begins with a philosophical analysis of the way research questions in parapsychology are formulated. It is concluded that the claim to have established psi in the sense of paranormality can be rejected a priori because of the generally conceded absence of a confirmed paranormal theory. Given this fact, the important question becomes whether the observations reported by parapsychologists have adequate conventional explanations or whether they are true anomalies. The methods and results of each research projects that have been published. This material is then critically evaluated from the point of view of assessing what conventional mechanisms could conceivably account for these findings and the adequacy of these mechanisms as explanations. In general, it is concluded that despite some methodological shortcomings and inadequate reporting, parapsychologists have succeeded in documenting genuine anomalies worthy of scientific interest. Reliable application of whatever paranormal process these anomalies might represent is unlikely until this process (if it exists) is better understood. Keywords: Remote viewing; Random event generator, Metal bending, Psychokinesis, ESP; Precognition; Clairvoyance; Probability; Telepathy; Experimenter control; and Experimental bias.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA169486
Entities
People
- John Palmer