Psi Text Resources Thread

Please post links to text files (journal papers, Web articles, etc.) here.

The Parapsychological Association has a really good FAQ explaining all facets of parapsychology:

http://parapsych.org/section/36/frequent...tions.aspx

The FAQ is much longer than what is presented here, and well worth reading in full.


What is parapsychology?
(http://www.parapsych.org/articles/36/76/...ology.aspx)


Parapsychology is the scientific and scholarly study of three kinds of unusual events (ESP, mind-matter interaction, and survival), which are associated with human experience. The existence of these phenomena suggest that the strict subjective/objective dichotomy proposed by the old paradigm (see below) may not be quite so clear-cut as once thought. Instead, these phenomena may be part of a spectrum of what is possible, with some events and experiences occasionally falling between purely subjective and purely objective. We call such phenomena "anomalous" because they are difficult to explain within current scientific models.

Parapsychology only studies those anomalies that fall into one of three general categories: ESP (terms are defined below), mind-matter interaction (previously known as psychokinesis), and phenomena suggestive of survival after bodily death, including near-death experiences, apparitions, and reincarnation. Most parapsychologists today expect that further research will eventually explain these anomalies in scientific terms, although it is not clear whether they can be fully understood without significant (some might say revolutionary) expansions of the current state of scientific knowledge. Other researchers take the stance that existing scientific models of perception and memory are adequate to explain some or all parapsychological phenomena.

A bit historical but Upton Sinclair's Mental Radio might be of interest.

Included in the text is the Preface by some kooky fringe scientist named Albert Einstein:

JL have read the book of Upton Sinclair with great interest
and am convinced that the same deserves the most earnest consid-
eration, not only of the laity, but also of the psychologists by
profession. The results of the telepathic experiments carefully and
plainly set forth in this book stand surely far beyond those which
a nature investigator holds to be thinkable. On the other hand,
it is out of the question in the case of so conscientious an observer
and writer as Upton Sinclair that he is carrying on a conscious
deception of the reading world; his good faith and dependability
are not to be doubted. So if somehow the facts here set forth rest
not upon telepathy, but upon some unconscious hypnotic influence
from person to person, this also would be of high psychological
interest. In no case should the psychologically interested circles
pass over this book heedlessly.

[signed] A. EINSTEIN

Recent articles on PK.

https://www.scientificexploration.org/do...Gimeno.pdf

Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 585–600, 2015

Abstract
—The formation and development of a sitter-group in Buenos
Aires is described. Fifteen weekly meetings were conducted, between April
and July 2013, attended by 5 to 9 people each. Ostensible movements of a
table were reported. One ostensibly psychokinetically gifted member was
identified, named Ariel. He had witnessed RSPK at home, when age 11. After
identifying him, another 10 meetings were conducted with only this gen-
tleman present (and observers). In these meetings he made a table raise a
leg at will, even with additional weight added to the table. All the meetings
were conducted with normal illumination, most of them recorded in video.
It was impossible to reproduce most of the table movements by normal
means. He was not able to achieve the total levitation of the table, nor any
movements without hand contact. Gifted people with remarkable psi abili-
ties are scarce, and in the field of physical phenomena objective investiga-
tions of macro-PK seem to be stagnant, or at least without the possibility
of publishing encouraging results. The results obtained in our studies are
promising, nevertheless we plan to conduct further experiments focusing
on controlled conditions and in good light conditions.

http://www.scientificexploration.org/doc...Gimeno.pdf

Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 159–186, 2017

Abstract—
Between June 2014 and December 2015, a PK laboratory was
organized in Buenos Aires. Up to five video cameras were installed to re-
cord the events. Various devices were assembled to measure physical,
physiological, and environmental variables. 23 meetings were held with
a presumptive PK subject, identified in previous research. The subject was
apparently able to move a table at will, through an alleged “PK force,” and
the phenomena were documented and recorded on several occasions.
Although contactless movement of the table or other objects could not be
achieved, muscular effort was ruled out as the cause of the observed move-
ments. One experiment developed by William
Crawford was repeated, although Crawford’s results were not replicated. EEG studies were performed
with the subject at rest and also during the production of the phenomena.
Unexplained anomalies were observed in the EEG data obtained during the
production of the phenomena, and the normal curve of a random number
generator also deviated significantly (p = 0.008) during the trials. No varia-
tions of electric and magnetic fields were found to be associated with the
phenomena. Stephen Braude visited the laboratory and attended 3 meet-
ings. He offers his observations and commentary in the Appendix.

Probably most people will already be aware of it, but no collection of links to web articles would be complete without the SPR's Psi Encyclopedia, which has articles on many topics and is continuing to grow:
https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/

The Magonia Review of Books publishes online reviews of books on UFOs and a wide range of other subjects, including psychical research:
http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.uk/

On psychical research, they seem fairly even-handed between scepticism and proponency.

Also from the SPR, there's an online archive of experimental data, called "Psi Open Data". Currently there are 9 datasets, but the archive is expanding:
https://open-data.spr.ac.uk/

The Magonia Review of Books publishes online reviews of books on UFOs and a wide range of other subjects, including psychical research:
http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.uk/

On psychical research, they seem fairly even-handed between scepticism and proponency.

Coincidentally, I just happened across Magonia yesterday, specifically this review: http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.nz/search/...Scepticism

That review of a book by Wynn and Wiggins points out the irony of a couple of sceptics falling into the same traps they accuse gullible proponents of falling into. 

Although it comes as no surprise that W&W give prominence to the sceptical position, the lack of the slightest pretence at presenting a balanced picture takes the breath away. For them, all the beliefs and concepts they target are the result of bias, wishful thinking and dishonesty, and everyone who gives them house room therefore either a fool, dupe or charlatan. End of story. There’s little in the way of analysis or the building of a case to refute the claims of proponents of their chosen subjects, W&W rather relying on sweeping statements and dogmatic assertions in a ‘Trust us, we’re scientists’ manner. (‘Makes authoritarian pronouncements’ is one of their tell-tale signs of the pseudoscientist.

Compare that full review (which points out the slipshod research and utter bias) with this short review in New Scientist  and it becomes clear that the worst offenders when it comes to being sceptical of their own beliefs are the self-proclaimed sceptics themselves.

Coincidentally, I just happened across Magonia yesterday, specifically this review: http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.nz/search/...Scepticism

That review of a book by Wynn and Wiggins points out the irony of a couple of sceptics falling into the same traps they accuse gullible proponents of falling into. 

Yes - but proponents don't get off lightly either. For example, this review, entitled "Wrong About Almost Everything", deals with a book by one A. Tsakiris:
http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/wrong.html

Yes - but proponents don't get off lightly either. 

Nor should they (we).