Parapsychology in the 21st Century: Essays on the Future of Psychical Research

I wrote the last chapter for an anthology of essays edited by Australian parapsychologists Michael Thalbourne and Lance Storm. The book itself is called Parapsychology in the 21st Century: Essays on the Future of Psychical Research. My piece is called "Experiential Research: Unveiling Psi Through Phenomenological Enquiry," and I have to admit, that, as a woman, I really loved having "the last word."

The title of the chapter pretty well explains what I talk about. In it, I review what phenomenological studies have been done in the past on ESP, mind-matter interactions, and surivival (including channeling and near-death experiences). I then also talk about the directions that experiential research may take in the future, including topics that have been virtually untouched, and why it might be helpful to explore them.

This anthology, which was published by McFarland in 2005, considers the possible future directions parapsychology research may take. It includes fifteen essays by well-known authors and leading lights in the field of parapsychology today. However, like any anthology, some chapters are more interesting than others. The book itself is divided into four sections: 1) general issues; 2) experimental issues, theoretical issues; and 4) sociological and phenomenological issues. As you can probably already tell, this book is oriented more towards researchers, than for the casual browser.

The list of chapters includes:

• Dean Radin "What's Ahead"

• Robert L. Morris "Parapsychology in the 21st Century"

• William Braud "The Farther Reaches of Psi Research: Future Choices and Possibilities"

• Adrian Parker "Psi and Altered States of Consciousness"

• Suitbert Ertel "The Ball Drawing Test: Psi From Untrodden Ground."

• Fiona Steinkamp "Forced-Choice ESP Experiments: Their Past and Their Future."

• Stanly Krippner & Gerd H. Hovelmann "The Future of Psi Research: Recommendations in Retrospect."

• Michael A. Thalbourne "The Theory of Psychopraxia: A Paradigm for the Future?"

• Lance Storm "A Critique of the Theory of Psychopraxia"

• Christine Hardy "Tackling the Mind-Matter Problem from a Consciousness Perspective."

• Vernon M. Neppe & John Palmer "Subjective Anomalous Events: Perspectives for the Future, Voices from the Past."

• Lance Storm "A Socioempirical Perspective on Skepticism about Psi."

• Robin Wooffitt "Language and the Study of Parapsychological Phenomena."

• James McClenon "The Ritual Healing Theory: Hypotheses for Psychical Research"

• Pamela Rae Heath "Experiential Research: Unveiling Psi Through Phenomenological Enquiry." This chapter reviews past phenomenological studies on ESP, PK, channeling, and near death experiences, and looks at what kinds of studies could be done in the future to better understand psychic phenomena.

This book is 387 pages long. It is available from McFarland directly under the ISBN 0-7864-1938-5, and can also be ordered on Amazon or other bookstores.

If you want a copy signed by the editors, you can get one directly from them at the Australian Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit. Just make out your checks to Michael Thalbourne, using the mailing address below. A copy of the book will be sent upon receipt of $46.00 (US dollars) postage included. Only American or British checks are accepted and no credit card facilities are available. I do ask that you tell them I (Pamela Heath) referred you. The mailing address is:

Dr. Michael A. Thalbourne and Lance Storm
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit
Department of Psychology
University of Adelaide
South Australia 5005
AUSTRALIA