PARAPSYCHOLOGY ABSTRACTS INTERNATIONAL, FRANCE, 02991. MALACAN, ANDRE. SCIENTISM

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Body:  Paraps}'~v1~6tc>r-r&I'ts~k@i~1~0/08/15 :CIA-RDP96-00792R000701050002y?bl. 6, No. 2  December 1988
 European matter.        [n  practice, anthropological parapsychol-
 ogy clearly follows in the footsteps of "psychical research"
 as it was in the times of F.W.H. Myers and William James.
 Tliis  approach  is  complementary  to  the  quantitative
 method.  Different. questions are asked that produce a dif-
 ferent kind of knowledge. - DA
 02990. Zorab, G., Brcederveld, H., Johnson, M., van
 I'raag, H., van Uongen, H., Gerding, H., and Bierman,
 Uick  J?  Parapsychologists  about  parapsychology.
 Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie, 1986, S4(4), 47-58.
 [n  honor of the  departure  of Prof.  H. van  Prang as
 special  professor  for  the  Dutch  SPR,  the editors of  the
 Tijdschrift put some questions to him and other parapsy-
 chologists.  Varying  views  are  expressed  about  some  fun-
 damental issues of parapsychology. - DA
 FRENCH LANGUAGE
 (Editor: Alexander Imich, Ph.D.)
 REVUE FRANCAISE DE PSYCHOTRONIQUE
 02991. Malacan, Andre. Scientism. Revue F'rancaise de
 Psychotronique, 1988 (Jan/Mar), 1(0), 5-11.
 According to the author, scientism came into being at
 the end of the 19th century.  Its framework was provided
 by August Comte's positivism.    Practitioners of scientism
 are intoxicated by words.    Their method often consists of
 using scientific words for unprecise, unquantified, or even
 not  well-defined  parameters  by  using  a  series  of  words
 such as curve, abscissa, metabolite, coordinate systems, etc.
 Some examples of scientism are cited. - A.I.
 02992. Chauvin, REmy. Change of speed in freezing
 water seemingly d'ue to psychokinesis. Revue Francaise
 de Psychotronique, 1988 (Jan/Mar}, 1(0), 13-19. 5 refs
 Water, one of the most peculiar liquids, has a com-
 plex   and  unstable  structure,   forming  mono-,  di-,  and
 trimers.  Its overcooling depends on many factors, such as
 the form  of the container,  atmospheric pressure (even in
 sealed  containers),  and  a  number  of  solar  spots.   The
 author,  after noticing to his great surprise that he could
 initiate  movement  in  a  divining -rod,  decided to  repeat
 Bort.el's experiments (Archiv der Meteorologie, Geophysik
 and Bioklimatologie,  1954, S,  25-257).   Test tubes 10 cm
 tong 6  mm  i.d.  with  4  cm  long  2  mm  i.d.  upper  parts,
 filled  with distilled  water,  were  placed  in  a  refrigerator
 with a constant temperature of -10. degrees C.  The author
 then  visualized for "a short  while" that  ice crystals were
 forming in the upper parts of the tubes.  After 40 minutes
 of refrigeration the ice cylinders in the upper parts of the
 experimental tubes  were longer  than  in  the control ones.
 Next,  the experiment  was  repeated  but  with some tubes
 encased in tin, others in aluminum, and stilt others in mu
 metal  foil.   The  Mann-Whitney  U  aad  Student's  t  test
 were used in the statistical evaluation.   Significant results
 were  found  oa  the  aluminum-encased  tubes  only.   The
 author finds this most  interesting,  because no screen  has
 ever been found effective in psi experiments. - A.[.
 02993.  Lignon,  Yves.  On the use of  the statistical
 method  in  parapsychology.  Revue  Francaise  de
 Psychotronique, 1988 (Jan/Mar), 1(0), 21-25
 Rhine demonstrated that the results of certain experi-
 ments differ from those predicted by chance.   Those who  .
 contest the results of the American school . of parapsychol-
 ogy  should,  if  they  possess  a  minimum  of   intellectual
 coherence,  radically change their views.   Since the proof
 has already been made, why use the same procedures for
 the following SO yearsT  Since 1940 the procedures of the
 American school have been useful only for testing the psi
 capacities of an individual;  they can  be compared with a
 standard  blood test used in  medicine.   The critical ratio
 presents a double inconvenience, the necessity of (a) using
 simple  targets,  limiting  subject's  responses  to  a  simple
 dichotomy  of  true  and  false,  and  (b)  obtaining  many
 responses,   Today one can use complex targets and limit
 responses to a few dozen.  From the epistemological point
 of  view,  the decision  to  use  criteria  much  more severe
 than those used by other sciences,  the stand adopted  by
 the American school,  is unjustified.  This contributes only
 to  the  marginalization  of  parapsychology.   For  the  non-
 mathematician, the author recommends Statistical Analysis
 . in Psychology and Education  by  George  Ferguson  (3rd
 ed, McGraw-Hill, 1971). - A.L
 (Editors: Gerd H. Hlivelmann and Alexander Imich, Ph.D.)
 GRENZGEBIETE DER WISSENSCNAFT
 02994.  HonorE,  Jean.  True and  false phenomena.
 Crenzgebiete der Wissenschaft, 1987, 36(1), 3-13.
 The church knows that revelation ended with the last
 apostle.   Only a small number of  miraculous phenomena,
 visions,   and  spiritual  messages  are  recognized  by  the
 church as true.   Because of concern about the danger of
 imposture, falsification (the church recognizes the existence
 of  the devil),  and the gullibility and  superstition  of  the
 faithful,   the  majority  are  refused  official  recognition.
 However, Bernadette is the picture of truth and simplicity.
 Her visions of the Virgin Mary in the grotto are genuine,
 and Lourdes is the legitimate source of  miraculous  heal-
 ings. The author of the article is the archbishop of Tours,
 and Lourdes belongs to his diocese. - A.L
 02995. Resch, Andrea.  Exotic psi-Paranormal in other
 cultures.. Crenzgebiete der Wissenschaft, 1987, 36(1), 14-
 38. 9refs   -
 Psi-days--lectures,     seminars,  ,and  healing
 demonstrations-were given during the Swiss Samples  Fair
 from 10/30/86 to 1]/2/86.  The following forms of exotic psi
 were presented: witches and witchcraft, the witching power
 "Mangu,"  ethnopharmacology  of  various .plants  (henbane,
 toadstool, ayahtiasca, hashish, and deathspell),  anthropology
 and parapsychology,  reincarnation, and paranormal healing
 iq various cultures (Philippines, Poland, India). - A.f.
 02996. SchUz, Mathias.  Consciousness transformation
 and  the  scientific  understanding  of  nature.
 Crenzgebiete der Wissenschaft, 1987, 36(1), 39-57. 16 refs
 The philosophy of C.F  von Weizsacker was the sub-
 ject of the author's dissertation and of a subsequently pub-
 lished book.  This philosophy is presented here under the
 following headings: (a) the roach of contemporary natural
 sciences;  (b)  the  paradigmatic  structure  of  contemporary
 physics (nature,  humans, and science); (c) a model of the
 universe according to modern physics (experiments,  quan-
 tum theory); (d) unity of reality (unitary basis of reality,
 the experience of  unity};  (e) philosophical  and  pragmatic
 consequences (paranormal phenomena,  higher  reality);  and
 (f) .closing remarks. - Ad.
 02997.  Zori, Marta, and Zori, FI.   Biodetectian, a
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