About this Program  |  HyperForum  |  Transcript  |  Watch the Show  | Show Feedback

Can claims of ESP, or extrasensory perception, be studied as a science? Can claims of strange, psychic phenomena be subject to the scientific method? Parapsychology is the scientific study of Paranormal or Psi Phenomena. It is the careful investigation of events -- like mental telepathy, knowing the future or bizarre manifestations -- that seemingly cannot be accounted for by natural law or knowledge. The claim that parapsychology is a science excites some, and annoys others. So, is parapsychology a new science or an old fraud?

Participants: Beyerstein, Radin, Schlitz, Tart, Trefil

 

	Barry Beyerstein is professor of neuropsychology at Simon Fraser University in Canada. He is a leading skeptic, on the Executive Council of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), and a frequent contributor to The Skeptical Inquirer.
	Dean Radin is considered one of the world’s leading parapsychology researchers, having done cutting-edge research at various institutions including the Conscious Research Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Princeton, SRI International, the University of Edinburgh, and for the U.S. government. He gives a comprehensive account of contemporary psi research in his best-selling book, The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena.
	Marilyn Schlitz is Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a leading research and membership organization devoted to interdisciplinary and diverse studies of the mind. Trained as an anthropologist, she has conducted some of the most important research in parapsychology.
	Charles Tart is one of the leading figures in the fields of parapsychology and transpersonal psychology. He is professor at The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and is the author of numerous articles and books on psychology and parapsychology, including Altered States of Consciousness, which has been called one of the 100 most important books in 20th Century psychology. He has studied various Eastern spiritual disciplines and holds a black belt in Aikido.
	James Trefil is professor of physics at George Mason University and the author of fifteen books, including Science Matters, Sharks Have No Bones, and Are We Unique? A regular contributor to Smithsonian Magazine, he is a commentator for National Public Radio.
	Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator and host of the Closer To Truth television series and author of the Closer To Truth book. Trained in brain research (Ph.D. UCLA), he has published more than twenty books, including the Handbook for Creative and Innovative Managers and the seven-volume Library of Investment Banking. He is the president of The Geneva Companies, a leading merger and acquisition firm for private, middle market businesses.
About this Program  |  HyperForum  |  Transcript  |  Watch the Show  | Show Feedback