{Psychical Research}[11th November 1975]

[Redbook2:73][19751111:2116 ]{Psychical Research}[11^th November 1975]

11^th November 1975

(L.19751016)

(Revise!)

(Partly revised.)

There seems to be a 'self-destruct' mechanism built into research on psychic phenomena. It runs something like this:

(1) Serious researchers claim positive results in relatively carefully-controlled psychic research;

(2) Credulous would-believers set up similar but relatively uncontrolled experiments in psychic research;

(3) Hoaxers and notoriety-seekers produce 'rigged' 'positive' results for (2);

(4) Credulous would-believers publicise claimed positive results in (3);

(5) Serious publications and authorities treat all claims with neutrally equal seriousness;

(6) Hoaxers and notoriety-seekers, and thus would-believers, are exposed by opponents of psychic concept[s] (and by 'neutrals');

(7) Original and positive results claimed by serious researchers suffer the odium of (6), and are 'forgotten', particularly by the embarrassed serious publications and authorities in (5).

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