Reports of psychic abilities, such as telepathy,
clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis, date back
to the beginning of recorded human history in all
cultures. Documented, reproducible evidence exists that
these abilities are real, yet the mainstream scientific
community has vehemently denied the existence of psi
phenomena for centuries. The battle over the reality of
psi has carried on in scientific academies, courtrooms,
scholarly journals, newspapers, and radio stations and
has included scandals, wild accusations, ruined
reputations, as well as bizarre characters on both sides
of the debate. If true evidence exists, why then is the
study of psi phenomena--parapsychology--so
controversial? And why has the controversy lasted for
centuries? Exploring the scandalous history of
parapsychology and citing decades of research, Chris
Carter shows that replicable evidence of psi phenomena
exists. The controversy over parapsychology continues
not because ESP and other abilities cannot be verified
but because their existence challenges deeply held
worldviews more strongly rooted in religious and
philosophical beliefs than in hard science.By outlining
the origin of this passionate debate, Carter calls on
all open-minded individuals to disregard the church of
skepticism and reach their own conclusions by looking at
the vast body of evidence. Carter reveals how the
doctrine of materialism--in which nothing matters but
matter--has become an infallible article of faith for
many scientists and philosophers, much like the
convictions of religious fundamentalists. Consequently,
the possibility of psychic abilities cannot be tolerated
because their existence would refute materialism and
contradict a deeply ingrained ideology. |
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