A third preprint by Peter Bancel has also been uploaded to ResearchGate - an interesting essay entitled "Parapsychology Needs a Theoretical Program":
https://www.researchgate.net/publication...al_Program
Bancel sees scientific disciplines, like the Manx coat of arms, as having three legs - experimental, theoretical and social. He thinks that acceptance of parapsychology as a valid field of study by the scientific mainstream will require that all three legs be strong. He sees the experimental leg as the strongest (despite problems of replicability) and the social leg as weaker but easy to strengthen. The theoretical leg is more of a challenge, but Bancel thinks the raw material may be provided by the field of Quantum Foundations (Bell's Theorem, quantum entanglement and so on). He mentions an experiment is under way in which the subject attempts to influence the strength of correlations between entangled particles, and in particular to see if they can be raised about the Tsirelson bound, a theoretical constraint on conventional quantum theory. If so, psi would require "super-quantum" theory.
Abstract:
(This short essay argues that more effort should go into theoretical work on Psi phenomena). As a scientific discipline, Parapsychology remains on the margins of mainstream science. This state of affairs impedes the development of the field and prevents Parapsychology from flourishing. A way to address the problem is to identify the elements necessary for any marginal or nascent field to gain acceptance by mainstream science and then examine the status of these elements within Parapsychology. A reasonable set of criteria for a field to transition to the mainstream is that the field's experimental and theoretical programs appear viable from the outside, and that the field has established a minimum of social features to nurture research and attract new scientists. The paper examines these three legs of Parapsychology-theory, experiment and social features-to conclude that theory is the weakest leg and proposes that strengthening research in psi theory will be necessary for the field to gain mainstream acceptance. The way in which theoretical advances can impact such a transition is illustrated with two cases of sub-fields in physics that overcame marginal status. The paper concludes with a brief look at how the field of Quantum Foundations offers a rich and diverse collection of results that may be relevant to psi and can provide valuable input to a theoretical program of psi phenomena.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication...al_Program
Bancel sees scientific disciplines, like the Manx coat of arms, as having three legs - experimental, theoretical and social. He thinks that acceptance of parapsychology as a valid field of study by the scientific mainstream will require that all three legs be strong. He sees the experimental leg as the strongest (despite problems of replicability) and the social leg as weaker but easy to strengthen. The theoretical leg is more of a challenge, but Bancel thinks the raw material may be provided by the field of Quantum Foundations (Bell's Theorem, quantum entanglement and so on). He mentions an experiment is under way in which the subject attempts to influence the strength of correlations between entangled particles, and in particular to see if they can be raised about the Tsirelson bound, a theoretical constraint on conventional quantum theory. If so, psi would require "super-quantum" theory.
Abstract:
(This short essay argues that more effort should go into theoretical work on Psi phenomena). As a scientific discipline, Parapsychology remains on the margins of mainstream science. This state of affairs impedes the development of the field and prevents Parapsychology from flourishing. A way to address the problem is to identify the elements necessary for any marginal or nascent field to gain acceptance by mainstream science and then examine the status of these elements within Parapsychology. A reasonable set of criteria for a field to transition to the mainstream is that the field's experimental and theoretical programs appear viable from the outside, and that the field has established a minimum of social features to nurture research and attract new scientists. The paper examines these three legs of Parapsychology-theory, experiment and social features-to conclude that theory is the weakest leg and proposes that strengthening research in psi theory will be necessary for the field to gain mainstream acceptance. The way in which theoretical advances can impact such a transition is illustrated with two cases of sub-fields in physics that overcame marginal status. The paper concludes with a brief look at how the field of Quantum Foundations offers a rich and diverse collection of results that may be relevant to psi and can provide valuable input to a theoretical program of psi phenomena.
![[-]](https://psiencequest.net/forums/images/collapse.png)