consciousness, spirituality, psychic research
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Psychic Research on Kindle
I've had a project in mind for some time now, and it's starting to take shape. It's a response to the objection that there is no evidence for psychic phenomena. The complaint is largely rhetorical, of course. The implication is that the evidence,...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
A Medical Medium
As I've mentioned, I'm fascinated by what psychics and mediums do. I've long been convinced by the academic research that it's a real process. But how does it start? What exactly do they experience? Not being psychic at all, to me mediums seem like...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Plans for the Million Dollar Challenge?
I've been listening to a conversation between organisers of James Randi's Million Dollar Challenge. They were discussing a test of psychics that they organised for ABC's Primetime Nightline show last summer. It was quite revealing. The test was set...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Book Review: Rupert Sheldrake's The Science Delusion
We're used to scientists telling us that the universe is inert matter, that we lack free will, and that our ideas, beliefs and goals are just 'folk psychology'. To voice dissent is to invite sharp correction or be denounced as a follower of...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Hitch in Heaven?
Christopher Hitchens's death has led to a predictable eruption of religious hostilities. For some Christian fundamentalists it's along the lines of 'that nasty atheist will have got a terrible shock'. For his part sceptic PZ Myers 'takes joy in...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Jonny Wilkinson's Search for Truth
I don't much associate rugby players with spirituality, so it's interesting to see what is being said about Jonny Wilkinson on his retirement from the game. Wilko was no common or garden sporting star. There was something oddly religious about his...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Sceptic Balloons (by Phil Brisk)
[Thanks to Phil Brisk for this therapeutic technique to help cope with sceptics.] I've been thinking lately about storylines - or 'narratives', if you prefer a posher word - and how they shape our understanding of the world. For example, take just...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Sheldrake and Dawkins
I talked recently about Deepak Chopra describing how he was 'ambushed' by Richard Dawkins for his 2007 Enemies of Reason films on Channel 4. The film makers hadn't told him it was Dawkins he was going to be talking to. Another putative 'enemy of...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Horgan on Buddhism
Science writer John Horgan has reprised the anti-Buddhism critique that he first published on Slate.com eight years ago. Slate has reissued the original article, and Buddhists are again berating him for his ignorance. So he wants to have another go...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Chopra and Dawkins
I wonder what Richard Dawkins makes of this profuse and lengthy apology that Deepak Chopra has just made to him on YouTube. Chopra says 'sorry' about comments he made while appearing on Bill O'Reilly's show on Fox News a few weeks ago. O'Reilly had...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Sheldrake's New Book - Preview
Rupert Sheldrake's new book, The Science Delusion, is published on January 5. Should be a big event. I've just received an invite to the book launch in London on the 17th, chaired by Dr Peter Fenwick. But I'll review it before that - soon, I hope....
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
@Paranormalia
I've been thinking about what to write as follow-up to Randi's Prize. My aim is to try to interest people in psychic research who might not otherwise pay it any attention. I don't want just to preach to the converted. So who should I be I talking...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Susan Goes to a Séance
Went to Goldsmiths in South London yesterday to hear Susan Blackmore give an entertaining talk about her visit to a séance. She explained that her notoriety as a sceptic makes her a target for people trying to change her mind, and had half promised...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Scandinavian Fires
The new Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research has just turned up. It has an interesting paper by Erlendur Haraldsson on an Icelandic case which is reminiscent of the famous Stockholm fire incident involving Swedenborg, and described by...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
The Joseph Communications
I've been sent two channelling books to review, Revelation: Joseph's Message (2008) and The Joseph Communications: Your Life After Death (2011). I have mixed feelings about channelling literature, but I'll try to give an objective sense of the...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Book Review: Matthew Colborn, Pluralism and the Mind
It's normal to suppose that human beings are conscious. However, until recently science could barely bring itself to accept that there was such a thing as 'consciousness'. Now it agrees that it does exist - sort of. Most neuroscientists and...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Matthew Colborn on Consciousness
I'm halfway through Matthew Colborn's new book on consciousness, Pluralism and the Mind, and am hugely impressed. Matt has posted here a few times, and has an interest in Buddhism and psychic research, which has helped to form his views. He provides...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Cold Reading
I mentioned cold reading in Randi's Prize, referring to the description by psychologist Ray Hyman. Hyman practised palm reading as a young man, until a respected teacher suggested he mix it up a bit, attributing a reading he'd given to one person to...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
St Paul's Protest
Christianity is supposed to be based on the Jesus of the Gospels, clearing the money-changers out of the temple, sticking up for the poor, harassing hypocritical church officials. The reality is often different. The Church as an institution feels...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean
Nicholls vs Randi
There's an interesting interview here with Graham Nicholls, who writes about out-of-body experiences. I've yet to read Graham's book, Avenues of the Human Spirit, but it definitely looks worth checking out. The interview got a comment from James...
www.paranormalia.com
www.paranormalia.com
Categories: Fortean