Wednesday, April 18, 2007
IONS 2007 Conference
Registration is open for the 2007 conference of the Institute for Noetic Sciences. The conference, titled Consciousness in Action: The Science and Practice of Transformation, will be held August 8-12 in Palm Springs, California.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Latest Skeptiko Podcast
This week, Alex Tsakiris interviews Dr. James Alcock, professor of psychology at York University in Toronto and author of numerous scholarly articles and several books, including Psi Wars: Getting to Grips with the Paranormal
.
During the 40-minute interview Alcock counters the notion that parapsychologists don’t garner attention from academia: “… if one could come up with good data that showed there’s something to it, the parapsychologists would be trampled by psychologists and physicists rushing to the study of it.” He also discusses the path forward for parapsychology research: “What I’d like to promote is that one … bend over backwards to think of ways that you can be fooled. To think of ways that you might be mistaken. The bane of every researcher is to be captivated by some notion, and then go find it, even if it’s not there.”
The podcast is avaible for download at Skeptiko.com.
.During the 40-minute interview Alcock counters the notion that parapsychologists don’t garner attention from academia: “… if one could come up with good data that showed there’s something to it, the parapsychologists would be trampled by psychologists and physicists rushing to the study of it.” He also discusses the path forward for parapsychology research: “What I’d like to promote is that one … bend over backwards to think of ways that you can be fooled. To think of ways that you might be mistaken. The bane of every researcher is to be captivated by some notion, and then go find it, even if it’s not there.”
The podcast is avaible for download at Skeptiko.com.
Details for the PA Convention Announced
The Parapsychological Association's website now has registration information for the 2007 convention available at their website. The convention will be held from August 2-5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I'm going to try to make it there this year. Who else is going?
General Update
Spring seems to be the season for deadlines because I've had more than a couple come up over the last few weeks, both personal and professional. On March 29th, I submitted my second installment of book reviews of the D. Scott Rogo collection to the Journal of Scientific Exploration. Then yesterday was the deadline to submit papers to the annual conference of the Parapsychological Association, to which a coauthor and I submitted a research brief. And as I type this, I am procrastinating on getting my taxes done!
There have been ups and downs over the last few weeks, as well as a good bit of excitement as far as Public Parapsychology is concerned. In February, I received a grant that made it possible to get memberships to the top professional organizations in the field, which means that I'm now getting most of the major parapsychology journals delivered to my door. That makes it much, much easier to keep up on the field. Of course, having a stack of current parapsychology journals on my dresser means that there are lots of great articles to present to the public on this site, including a collaborative study of my own! I'd better get to work.
I was also able to purchase a domain name (www.publicparapsychology.org) and P.O. box for Public Parapsychology. It's not time to update your bookmarks yet because I'm still using Blogger to update the site, but at least I now have a place to handle my site email and store files as necessary. And you can send me mail now! I like getting mail, so send me some. Go ahead, you know you want to....
Public Parapsychology
P.O. Box 24173
Columbus, OH 43224
Last but not least, I am looking for other researchers/students in the field of parapsychology who are interested in guest blogging for the site. The field of parapsychology might be pretty tiny, but it is still too much for one person to digest, so email me if you've got some background in the field and you're interested in writing editorials, reviews, or articles for Public Parapsychology.
There have been ups and downs over the last few weeks, as well as a good bit of excitement as far as Public Parapsychology is concerned. In February, I received a grant that made it possible to get memberships to the top professional organizations in the field, which means that I'm now getting most of the major parapsychology journals delivered to my door. That makes it much, much easier to keep up on the field. Of course, having a stack of current parapsychology journals on my dresser means that there are lots of great articles to present to the public on this site, including a collaborative study of my own! I'd better get to work.
I was also able to purchase a domain name (www.publicparapsychology.org) and P.O. box for Public Parapsychology. It's not time to update your bookmarks yet because I'm still using Blogger to update the site, but at least I now have a place to handle my site email and store files as necessary. And you can send me mail now! I like getting mail, so send me some. Go ahead, you know you want to....
Public Parapsychology
P.O. Box 24173
Columbus, OH 43224
Last but not least, I am looking for other researchers/students in the field of parapsychology who are interested in guest blogging for the site. The field of parapsychology might be pretty tiny, but it is still too much for one person to digest, so email me if you've got some background in the field and you're interested in writing editorials, reviews, or articles for Public Parapsychology.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
New Things in Store for Public Parapsychology
I thought readers would be interested in this press release that my good friend Kevin at Complex Interiority helped create. There are new things in store for Public Parapsychology (and not just the fabulous new mirror site at www.publicparapsychology.org). Read on. -- Annalisa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Columbus, OH, April 9, 2007 – Every day, at universities and private laboratories around the world, quality research is being conducted on extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, phenomena suggestive of life after death, and other assorted parapsychological topics.
These phenomena have fascinated mankind for ages, but little of the research findings have been presented to the public in an accessible way. It seems that as the methodologies employed by parapsychologists become more refined, the wider the chasm grows between the researcher and the public that he or she serves.
In an effort to bridge this gap, independent researcher Annalisa Ventola has created Public Parapsychology (http://www.publicparapsychology.org), a web site promoting public scholarship in the fields of parapsychology and anomalous psychology. The site presents news, calls for participants, research summaries, reviews, and editorials by and about scholars who publish research on parapsychological topics in peer-reviewed journals.
Public Parapsychology is currently accepting content contributions and review copies from researchers, organizations, and publishers to increase its coverage of the field.
News: Press releases, web site updates, book, lecture, or conference announcements, and any other news of interest can be sent to news@publicparapsychology.org, so that they may be reposted on the site.
Calls for Participants: Public Parapsychology’s readership is worldwide and eager to participate in research. Calls for study participants are welcome, no matter the particular location of the study, and can be sent to studies@publicparapsychology.org.
Research Summaries: Research summaries are central to the mission of Public Parapsychology. These summaries present recently published experimental research to the public in general terms. If you would like your latest study summarized for the site, electronic copies can be sent to summaries@publicparapsychology.org or reprints can be sent to Public Parapsychology, P.O. Box 24173, Columbus, OH, 43224. Researchers will have final approval of any summaries created for the site, and they will not be presented online until after the study has appeared in print. Researchers are also welcome to write and submit their own summaries.
Reviews: Public Parapsychology will soon be providing reviews of books and conferences. Review copies of books can be sent to the address above for consideration. Email reviews@publicparapsychology.org to arrange to have a reviewer present at your lecture or conference.
Editorials: Public Parapsychology is seeking guest writers to present editorials on current issues in parapsychology and anomalous psychology. Contact annalisa@publicparapsychology.org for more information.
“Public Parapsychology has the potential to become an important point of contact between those doing parapsychological research and those generally interested but otherwise unable to follow scholarship,” says site founder Annalisa Ventola. “There has to be some sort of middle ground between telling a good anecdote and losing your audience in the intricacies of scientific research. For me, founding this site is an effort to find that middle ground. By inviting web site visitors to ‘explore, support, and participate,’ it is my hope that researchers and members of the public will have the opportunity to mutually inform one another.”
Contact:
Public Parapsychology
P.O. Box 24173
Columbus, Ohio 43224
USA
Email: annalisa@publicparapsychology.org
Web: http://www.publicparapsychology.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW WEBSITE PROMOTES PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP IN PARAPSYCHOLOGY
Columbus, OH, April 9, 2007 – Every day, at universities and private laboratories around the world, quality research is being conducted on extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, phenomena suggestive of life after death, and other assorted parapsychological topics.
These phenomena have fascinated mankind for ages, but little of the research findings have been presented to the public in an accessible way. It seems that as the methodologies employed by parapsychologists become more refined, the wider the chasm grows between the researcher and the public that he or she serves.
In an effort to bridge this gap, independent researcher Annalisa Ventola has created Public Parapsychology (http://www.publicparapsychology.org), a web site promoting public scholarship in the fields of parapsychology and anomalous psychology. The site presents news, calls for participants, research summaries, reviews, and editorials by and about scholars who publish research on parapsychological topics in peer-reviewed journals.
Public Parapsychology is currently accepting content contributions and review copies from researchers, organizations, and publishers to increase its coverage of the field.
News: Press releases, web site updates, book, lecture, or conference announcements, and any other news of interest can be sent to news@publicparapsychology.org, so that they may be reposted on the site.
Calls for Participants: Public Parapsychology’s readership is worldwide and eager to participate in research. Calls for study participants are welcome, no matter the particular location of the study, and can be sent to studies@publicparapsychology.org.
Research Summaries: Research summaries are central to the mission of Public Parapsychology. These summaries present recently published experimental research to the public in general terms. If you would like your latest study summarized for the site, electronic copies can be sent to summaries@publicparapsychology.org or reprints can be sent to Public Parapsychology, P.O. Box 24173, Columbus, OH, 43224. Researchers will have final approval of any summaries created for the site, and they will not be presented online until after the study has appeared in print. Researchers are also welcome to write and submit their own summaries.
Reviews: Public Parapsychology will soon be providing reviews of books and conferences. Review copies of books can be sent to the address above for consideration. Email reviews@publicparapsychology.org to arrange to have a reviewer present at your lecture or conference.
Editorials: Public Parapsychology is seeking guest writers to present editorials on current issues in parapsychology and anomalous psychology. Contact annalisa@publicparapsychology.org for more information.
“Public Parapsychology has the potential to become an important point of contact between those doing parapsychological research and those generally interested but otherwise unable to follow scholarship,” says site founder Annalisa Ventola. “There has to be some sort of middle ground between telling a good anecdote and losing your audience in the intricacies of scientific research. For me, founding this site is an effort to find that middle ground. By inviting web site visitors to ‘explore, support, and participate,’ it is my hope that researchers and members of the public will have the opportunity to mutually inform one another.”
Contact:
Public Parapsychology
P.O. Box 24173
Columbus, Ohio 43224
USA
Email: annalisa@publicparapsychology.org
Web: http://www.publicparapsychology.org
Saturday, April 07, 2007
New Stories on Research of Interest
Dr. Ciaran O’Keefe plans to conduct an experiment to see if low-frequency noises are responsible for the paranormal activity in Mary King’s Close.
David R. Hodge, an assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Services at Arizona State University, conducted a comprehensive analysis of 17 major studies on the effects of intercessory prayer – or prayer that is offered for the benefit of another person – among people with psychological or medical problems. He found a positive effect.
A Case Western Reserve University professor, Howard Hall has been studying Sufi mystics from the Middle East and has published scientific research that indicates there could be a "paranormal" force allowing rapid healing of wounds to the human body.
David R. Hodge, an assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Services at Arizona State University, conducted a comprehensive analysis of 17 major studies on the effects of intercessory prayer – or prayer that is offered for the benefit of another person – among people with psychological or medical problems. He found a positive effect.
A Case Western Reserve University professor, Howard Hall has been studying Sufi mystics from the Middle East and has published scientific research that indicates there could be a "paranormal" force allowing rapid healing of wounds to the human body.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Latest Skeptiko Podcasts
Last week, host Alex Tsakiris interviewed well-known radio host and program director for the Center for Inquiry, D.J. Grothe about his experiences advancing scientific naturalism.
This week's interview is with physics researcher, independent scholar and associate editor of the Journal of Consciousness Studies, Dr. Jean Burns, about her experiences on the front lines of the 'psi wars'.
This week's interview is with physics researcher, independent scholar and associate editor of the Journal of Consciousness Studies, Dr. Jean Burns, about her experiences on the front lines of the 'psi wars'.
Rhine Research Center Lecture
| Roger Nelson, Ph.D. Retired Coordinator of Research at Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab presents The Global Consciousness Project: |  |
Dr. Nelson will discuss the Global Consciousness Project (GCP) which he founded in 1997 during his more than 20 years at the PEAR lab at Princeton University.. Dr. Nelson’s broad interests in psychology, physics, philosophy, and the arts have generated opportunities to collaborate with creative interdisciplinary teams at PEAR and elsewhere, developing technologies for studying consciousness and intention. He has a strong interest in the theoretical, philosophical, and practical implications of direct interactions of mind and matter, which help to define the role of consciousness in the world
In 1993, building on years of laboratory experiments, Dr. Nelson began using random event generator technology in the field to register correlations of data with special states of group consciousness. This work led to the world-spanning GCP network, designed to look for indications of a global consciousness responding to major world events like destructive earthquakes, the beginnings of war or terror attacks like 9/11, as well as worldwide holidays and celebrations like New Year. After several years of purely scientific focus, with careful research yielding increasingly persuasive evidence, Dr. Nelson has begun to make public presentations about the GCP. The findings imply that we can be creative participants in determining our future, and that we have the capacity and responsibility for conscious evolution. Dr. Nelson is the upcoming president of the international Parapsychology Association.
For further information on GCP check http://noosphere.princeton.edu, go to Media and Information for links to publicity pieces and articles, including interviews, articles, and short expositions such as a "One Page Summary" at http://noosphere.princeton.edu/media.html
$20 General Admission, $15 for Rhine Member, Student, and Senior.
To Register: Call 919-309-4600, ext. 201 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
When: Friday, April 27th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Where: The Stedman Auditorium on the Duke Center for Living Campus. CLICK HERE for directions to the Stedman Auditorium.
Registration Fee: $20 - $15 Students, Seniors & Members
To Register: Call 919-309-4600, ext. 201 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Dr. Lance Storm Awarded the 2007 Bolton Fellowship
The Frances P. Bolton Fellowship was awarded on March 1st, 2007 to Dr. Lance Storm, who received his Ph.D. in 2002 from Adelaide University in Australia. His doctoral dissertation is entitled A Parapsychological Investigation of the Theory of Psychopraxia: Experimental and Theoretical Researches into an Alternative Theory Explaining Normal and Paranormal Phenomena. Read more details about Dr. Storm and his work at the website of the Parapsychology Foundation.
Parapsychology Foundation Blog Update
The 18th PF Lyceum blog was posted on March 22nd, 2007. Written by Rosemarie Pilkington, it introduces her new book, The Spirit of Dr. Bindelof: The Enigma of Seance Phenomena published by Anomalist Books, which reviews a series of seances conducted in the 1930s that resulted in such physical phenomena as table-tilting and direct writing. To read the new blog, click here.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Skeptiko Review
I am behind in updating Public Parapsychology about the latest podcasts at www.skeptiko.com. Last week, Skeptiko presented an interview with Dr. Charles Tart in which he discussed his research findings and personal conclusions about spirituality, meditation, and transpersonal psychology. This week, there is an interview with Stephan A. Schwartz exploring the connection between his research into remote viewing and global climate change.
Typically, I copy information from the press releases into these blog posts, and will probably resume doing so next week, but this week I just wanted to say a few words about Skeptiko. Since my day job requires me to drive around the city on Tuesdays, I've made a weekly habit of listening to these interviews in the car. I happen to be the last person on earth who doesn't own an mp3 player, but it's still a very simple process. All I have to do is download the mp3, burn it to a CD...and remember to pack it in my teaching bag before leaving. Today will be my fifth Tuesday of listening to Skeptiko podcasts as I make my rounds, and it has become a rather enjoyable routine.
The host, Alex Tsakiris, interviews various scholars who represent a variety of positions on parapsychological topics, from well-known skeptics to active researchers in the field. During many interviews, audio clips from other personalities in the field are presented, to which interviewees are invited to respond. The presentation is balanced, and there is clearly an effort to construct a dialogue between the people who are interviewed week after week. Skeptiko is not necessarily creating this dialogue. In a sense, it already exists at parapsychology conferences and in peer-reviewed journals around the world, but the site presents this dialogue to the general public in a manner that is both unique and accessible.
It has been delightful to witness how quickly the show has grown into its own since its inception just a few months ago. Now as I listen to each installment, I think about what myself and the host have learned since the last one. I wonder which selections from previous interviews might be replayed again, and who is going to have the opportunity to respond to them. The Skeptiko.com podcasts are developing into a series, where the narrative of science, at the tipping point, progresses week after week.
Typically, I copy information from the press releases into these blog posts, and will probably resume doing so next week, but this week I just wanted to say a few words about Skeptiko. Since my day job requires me to drive around the city on Tuesdays, I've made a weekly habit of listening to these interviews in the car. I happen to be the last person on earth who doesn't own an mp3 player, but it's still a very simple process. All I have to do is download the mp3, burn it to a CD...and remember to pack it in my teaching bag before leaving. Today will be my fifth Tuesday of listening to Skeptiko podcasts as I make my rounds, and it has become a rather enjoyable routine.
The host, Alex Tsakiris, interviews various scholars who represent a variety of positions on parapsychological topics, from well-known skeptics to active researchers in the field. During many interviews, audio clips from other personalities in the field are presented, to which interviewees are invited to respond. The presentation is balanced, and there is clearly an effort to construct a dialogue between the people who are interviewed week after week. Skeptiko is not necessarily creating this dialogue. In a sense, it already exists at parapsychology conferences and in peer-reviewed journals around the world, but the site presents this dialogue to the general public in a manner that is both unique and accessible.
It has been delightful to witness how quickly the show has grown into its own since its inception just a few months ago. Now as I listen to each installment, I think about what myself and the host have learned since the last one. I wonder which selections from previous interviews might be replayed again, and who is going to have the opportunity to respond to them. The Skeptiko.com podcasts are developing into a series, where the narrative of science, at the tipping point, progresses week after week.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Lund University Seeks Psychology Graduates
The Center for Research on Consciousness and Anomalous Psychology (CERCAP) under the direction of Etzel Cardeña, Ph.D., encourages very bright psychology graduates interested in anomalous psychology (including psi) to apply to do a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Lund, Sweden (ranked by Newsweek as one of the top 20 universities in Europe). Selection is very competitive but the top 2-3 students accepted into the department get free tuition and payment; about 3 others will get free tuition but will have to pay their way otherwise. The studies can be done in English. The application deadline (which requires a plan of studies) is April 15th. If you still have questions after reading the information linked below, please contact Prof. Cardeña.
Click here for more information about the program.
Click here for more information about the program.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
New Podcast from Skeptiko
Join host Alex Tsakiris when he interviews well known skeptic and consciousness author, Dr. Susan Blackmore about her journey from a disillusioned parapsychology researcher to an author on human consciousness. During the 30-minute interview Blackmore directly states her conclusions about human consciousness: “We live in a pointless universe. We’re here for no reason at all. There isn’t a soul. There isn’t a spirit. We’re not going to live forever in some kind of heaven, or something like that. And, I think there are no paranormal phenomena, although I can’t be sure of that. Yet, we have extraordinary experiences.”
She also explains how her longtime Zen mediation practice has impacted her work: “If you sit in meditation and stare into the face of a rising phenomena what do you see? I think most people would agree that after some practice, and learning to calm the mind and see clearly… that if you sit in meditation and then ask something like, ‘who am I?’ you don’t find that self. This is one of the fundamental discoveries in meditation.”
The interview is available for immediate free download at www.skeptiko.com.
She also explains how her longtime Zen mediation practice has impacted her work: “If you sit in meditation and stare into the face of a rising phenomena what do you see? I think most people would agree that after some practice, and learning to calm the mind and see clearly… that if you sit in meditation and then ask something like, ‘who am I?’ you don’t find that self. This is one of the fundamental discoveries in meditation.”
The interview is available for immediate free download at www.skeptiko.com.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
New PF Lyceum Blog Post
The Parapsychology Foundation's Lyceum Blog has been updated with an essay written by Dr. Carlos S. Alvarado on the life and acheivements of Dr. Ian Stevenson.
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