Welcome to Psi and Science: a multimedia platform that explores the complex intersection between these two entangled subjects. My name is Lauren, and together we will delve into some of the research behind and the fascinating skepticism surrounding psi phenomena.

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            I’d like to kick off this adventure by noting that I have some level of bias, as I have personal experience with psi phenomena. I rather frequently (perhaps once every month or so) experience a sharp sense of déjà vu–typically, I feel that I’ve dreamt of the moment unfolding before me. One striking example of this takes us back to 2006, when I was in the fourth grade.

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            My best friend at the time was a girl named Taylor. Among other things, we always ate lunch together under the fluorescent lights at one of those speckled-brown cafeteria tables. The day during which this example takes place was like any other: We sat across from each other, our conversation merging with the typical hum of students’ voices. I don’t remember exactly what we were talking about, but something she had said upset me. As my mood turned sour and I prepared to retort, I was suddenly hit with this strange feeling.

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            It was as if I had been shaken around through time–forwards, backwards, and then to the present–and deposited back at the scene. Somehow, I was aware of how the sentence I was preparing to speak would be misinterpreted. I saw exactly how Taylor’s face would contort around it, the exact words that she would use in her angry reply; I saw the ultimate fallout and the beginning of a rift between us.

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            All of this was presented to me as the sentence reached my lips, just before I uttered whatever would cause this reaction. I was able to suck in my words and sit in silence until the moment passed. And life continued on without consequence in the elementary-school cafeteria. I look back on this and consider it the moment that I salvaged an important relationship.

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            Now, these psychic events are not always so useful or astonishing. Sometimes they just happen, and I move forwards in time unperturbed, simply aware of how the specific moment will unfold, the exact words that people will utter. It’s just the way of my world.

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            And it’s the way of many people’s worlds. My mom, my grandma, my dad, some of my friends–all of us have experienced psi phenomena in one manifestation or another. My grandma was in Germany when my mom went into very-premature labor with my twin brother and me in the US–without any means of knowing this, my grandma was struck by the need to head to the airport and board a plane home.

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            I’ve also heard stories from strangers that depict expressions of psi way beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. One woman entered an out-of-body state after drifting to sleep one night and subsequently travelled to the site of the Twin Towers in New York City. The date was September 10th, 2001.

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            All of this is to say that psi phenomena are not often or openly discussed, let alone the intersection of psi and science. Few people beyond the realm of academia know of the research that has been performed in the field of parapsychology. Thus, few people know of the academic debate that parapsychology contributes to: whether psi phenomena do or do not exist. I hope to break down the issues inherent in this debate for audience members across the spectrum of prior knowledge. Readers/viewers/listeners of this exploration require only an open mind and an ability to weigh evidence.

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            I should note that “Psi and Science” will emphasize research supporting the existence of psi. My reasoning is thus: Within the realm of science, we tend to consider something false (or at least neutral) until it is proven to be true. I will lay out the science that ought to be considered, thus calling attention to the notion that we may be ignoring rigorous and meticulous research into psi phenomena. The question then becomes, “Why?”

           

            This is a very important question to ask for a variety of reasons: First, we are invalidating the multitude of people who have had psi experiences by not looking more deeply into their cause. Second, there are potential applications of psi phenomena (see page on Harold Putoff and Russell Targ). Finally, and, most importantly, skepticism is healthy in doses, but in the past, it has been used to bolster political authority and/or religious doctrine, and this is not at all what science should be about. As a young scientist, I do not want this to be the type of world and workforce that I enter. I want to at least consider the possibility that psi phenomena exist as I perform my due diligence and my research into the matter.

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            In this endeavor, I think that transparency is key. So, I repeat that, because I have experienced p phenomena throughout my life, I possess a certain level of bias. (This is the case with most people–those who have experienced these phenomena are most likely advocates of their existence.) However, I will try to present the scientific evidence in as neutral a manner as possible so that you can decide for yourself in which direction the evidence points.

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            I’ve kicked off our adventure into the realm of parapsychology by defining a few unusual words above–you will encounter these throughout this project. You will read synopses of various parapsychological research, you will interact with ruminations that attempt to differentiate between psi advocates and psi counter-advocates (those who believe and those who are skeptics), and you will be encouraged to ask questions of this material.

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            Ultimately, we will dive into deeper explorations pertaining to metaphysics, epistemology, and the barriers surrounding psi’s acceptance into the body of science. To do this, we will hear from an expert in philosophy of science and an expert in transpersonal psychology.

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            I hope that this project will serve to open the minds of psi advocates and counter-advocates alike–I don’t seek to sway opinions, but rather to challenge them; to encourage individuals to pause and consider the intersection of psi and science. There is a good deal to be learned from it.

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            So, sit tight, wherever you may be, and enjoy the ride.