Monday, February 26, 2007

New Podcast from Skeptiko

Join host Alex Tsakiris when he interviews research scientist and Vice President of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, Dr. Marilyn Schlitz about her journey as a researcher in parapsychology, complementary medicine and anthropology. During the hour-long interview Schlitz distinguishes between her beliefs and those within the controversial areas she winds up studying: “I don’t necessarily believe all the things that I study. I believe anything that’s an aspect of human experience is valid to study, and there are some areas that have greater potential for breakthrough.”

She also explains how controversial science research remains a taboo subject with many of her peers: “Where people really get animated is in the unofficial domains of after-hours. Either they admit to having some kind of experience they don’t want to admit to publicly, or they just get irrational. I’ve had people spitting in my face because they were so angry with the idea that we could do science on parapsychology.”

The interview is available for immediate free download at: www.skeptiko.com

About Skeptiko
Skeptiko is the first scientifically oriented Podcast exploring new research in controversial areas of science such as telepathy, psi, parapsychology, near-death-experience, reincarnation, and afterlife encounters. Each episode features open, honest debate on new scientific discoveries. The show includes interviews with top research scientists and their critics.

2 comments:

Ryan said...

Anthropology has a long history of ignoring the research potential of anomolous experience and belief systems.

Thank god for the Society of the Anthropology of Consciousness, who formed to deal with the massive cultural white space here.

I heartily recommend the following article by Anthropologist Marianne George (1995): Dreams, reality, and the desire and intent of dreamers as experienced by a fieldworker. Anthropology of consciousness, 6(3), pp. 17-33.

Phronk said...

Thanks for the heads up. I've enjoyed the episodes of Skeptiko so far; though I found myself rooting more for the sometimes-overly-skeptical Michael Shermer than the interviewer in the 3rd one.