How Parapsychology Could Become a Science
نویسنده
چکیده
An important methodological argument is outlined in support of general theoretical challenges to the dominant materialist paradigm. The idea is that the empirical inadequacies of a dominant theory can be hidden from view by various and will emerge from the shadows only when viewed from the perspective of a systematic conceptual alternative. The question then posed is whether parapsychology provides a cpnceptual alternative adequate to this task. The provisional conclusion drawn is that it does not. Some further consequences are drawn from this concerning the experimental side of the parapsychological tradition.
منابع مشابه
Parapsychology: Science or Pseudo-Science?
Do paranormal or parapsychologicalinvestigationsmeet the criteria often said to characterize pseudo-science? Mainstream and non-mainstream research is compared through content analysis of selected samples of mainstream journals from several fields and of non-mainstream (‘‘fringe’’) journals. Oral communication processes were studied at an annual meeting of the ParapsychologicalAssociation. Thou...
متن کامل[ Letter on Meta - Analysis in Parapsychology
Caroline Watt's (2005) thoughtful and stimulating presidential address to the Parapsychology Association raised several points that could help parapsychology. For example, she pointed out that the proposals in a recent article by me on "A Proposal and Challenge for Proponents and Skeptics of Psi" (Kennedy, 2004a) would enhance the evidential value of meta-analysis. That point is true, but it ma...
متن کاملTechniques and status of modern parapsychology.
is about 100 years since the earliest university studies and first research developments occurred which led to the founding of the Society for Psychical Research in London in 1882. Thus, it seems appropriate to have a symposium on what is now called parapsychology at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago. The founders of the society were exceptional persons. One, Sir Arthur Balfour, later became P...
متن کاملThe Unbearable Fear of Psi: On Scientific Suppression in the 21st Century
This paper describes various examples of blatant attempts to suppress and censor parapsychology research and those who are doing it. The examples include raising false accusations, barring access to journals, suppressing papers and data, and ostracizing and persecuting scientists interested in the topic. The intensity of fear and vituperation caused by parapsychology research is disproportionat...
متن کاملPhysical and Psychical Research. An Analysis of Belief
The blurb on the dust-cover of this book claims that it states an important new principle and, hence, that it is important. It aims at integrating in mathematical terms, the physical and psychological sides of science, for which purpose it includes a purely mathematical appendix on the "reversed loop". Presumably, there are people who are able to see how the writers work out their thesis. But t...
متن کامل