IRWIN, HARVEY. PARAPSYCHOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA.
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This document is a summary of various articles related to the field of parapsychology. It mentions several specific articles and studies, as well as the authors and their credentials. The document also touches on the history of parapsychology in different countries, such as Australia and the Soviet Union. It concludes with a discussion on the main principles of the "Rhinean" school of parapsychology and the role of physics in parapsychological research.
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1991 Exceptional Human Experience Vol. 9, No. 1 June 1991
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spite of major tributes in the Journal of Parapsychol-
ogy and Journal of the American Society for Psychical
Research. Rodger Anderson's entry is reasonably
up to date. My own entry had been updated in a
skewed manner. None of my articles in the Journal
of Religion and Psychical Research and Christian Para-
psychologist are mentioned. It is not noted that I
have edited the Journal of the American Society for
Psychical Research since 1983. I am listed as manag-
ing editor of a publication I never heard of. Only
the first of 5 bibliographies I have published in
Advances in Parapsychological Research is mentioned.
No mention is made that I was president of the
Parapsychological Association in 1984 nor of a
major paper in the 1985 Parapsychology Founda-
tion conference proceedings. And the title given
for the book I wrote with Michael Murphy is the
working title, not the one under which it was pub-
lished in 1978. Carlos Alvarado is not even in-
cluded. If these examples are any indication, these
volumes still have far to go. Systematic checking
of the major parapsychology journals and con-
ference proceedings would bring new names to
light and provide excellent sources for updating
these volumes. I hope there will be a 4th edition,
and that these suggestions will be followed. -
R.A.W.
In the concluding section, he discusses work with
Nina Kulagina; on the basis of the experimental
data from investigations by both Soviet and West-
ern scientists (including the author's own
observations), he reviews the arguments that have
been advanced for and against the genuineness of
the phenomena produced by Kulagina. He con-
cludes that the paranormal abilities of this physi-
cal medium may well stand up to skeptical
scrutiny. - DA/G.H.
04407. Le Malefan, Pascal. Beginning of para-
psychological concept by Max Dessoir (physician-
philosopher, 1867-1947). Revue Francaise de
Psychotronique, 1988 (Jul-Sep), 1(2), 5-14.
This is one of the fullest treatments of Max
Dessoir's introduction of the term Parapsychology
in an article in the Sphinx for July 1809. The
relevant portions of the text of the article is given
in French. This is followed by a biographical
sketch of Dessoir, who was a German physician
(1867-1947). The next three pages are devoted to a
description of the context of the publication of
Dessoir's article. The piece closes with the
author's commentary on Dessoir's introduction of
the term, parapsychology, which was done in order
to differentiate the study of psychic phenomena
from that of the abnormal psychology of
Lombroso and others. - R.A.W.
'[.77:R. Bulletin, an , No. 11, 1-8. T illus; 46 refs
Parapsychology in Australia falls into three
eras. During the spiritualistic phase (1860-1920), the
emphasis was on investigating spirit communica-
tion through mediums (mainly direct voice and
materialized apports). During the early experimental
One (1920-196011, the experimental approach of J.B.
Rhine had little impact in Australia, except for a
few individuals. The contemporary era (from about
1960) is marked by the rise of scientifically based
psychic research societies, university courses in
parapsychology, and by systematic scientific
research, despite tough opposition. Australian
research has been hampered by a number of fac-
tors. Firstly, our geography meant that individual
investigators have been isolated from each other
and from their overseas colleagues. Secondly, un-
til recently, most Australian psychic research (and
psychological research in general) was conserva-
tive in that it copied that done overseas. An in-
novative style relevant to Australia was lacking. -
DA
04406. Kcil, Jurgen. Parapsychology in the Soviet
Union. Zeitschrift fUr Parapsychologie and Grenzgebiete
der Psychologie, 1984, 26(1-4), 191-210. 3 figs; 42 refs
The author summarizes his numerous travels
to the Soviet Union both with regard to general
observations of daily life (the role of bureaucracy,
etc.) and an evaluation of parapsychological
research in that country. It is evident that, on a
popular level, Soviet citizens show a distinct inter-
est in paranormal phenomena. However, "official"
support for parapsychological research seems to
depend on the practical applicability of its results.
The author also discusses "Kirlian photography;
exaggerated accounts of which frequently have
filled the pages of the popular press in the West.
04408. Beloff, John. The Rhine legacy. Philosophical
Psychology, 1989, 2(2), 231-239. 22 refs
An attempt is made to examine the main prin-
ciples that underlie the "Rhinean" school of para -
sychology. Five such principles are discussed: (1)
that psi can best be assessed usin quantitative
measures and forced-choice tests; (2) that psi is a
function of the unconscious with the implication
that objective performance alone is important, not
the state of mind of the subject; (3) that psi ability
is, to some degree, present in everyone; (4) that
only those problems deserve attention for which
an unambiguous answer is attainable, with the im-
plication that survival research should be shelved
indefinitely; and (5) that psi is nonphysical. These
five principles are then reviewed from our present
vantage point and all are found to require
qualification to a greater or lesser extent. Some
critics, however, want to go further and allege that
Rhine led psychical research into a blind alley and
that the time has come to revert to the earlier in-
vestigative tradition. This, we contend, is
defeatist, the more especially since the advent of
computers has greatly extended the scope and
power of the experimental approach. Despite its
inherent difficulties, it remains the indispensable
mainstay of our continuing efforts to make sense
of the paranormal. - DA
04409. Sornette, Didier, Lagier, Michel, and Sornette,
Thierry. Parapsychology: Point of view by physicists.
Revue Francaise de Psychotronique, 1988 (Oct-Dec), 1(3),
3-9. 7 refs
We examine the role of physics in parapsychol-
ogy, stress the importance of defining simple and
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