ParapsyORUN OVA kiran lean a9 0/08/15 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000701050002.4,,, 6, No. 2 December 1988 European matter. In 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. This approach is complementary to the quantitative method. Different questions are asked that produce a dif- ferent kind of knowledge. - DA 02990. Zorab, G., Breederveld, H., Johnson, M., van Praag, H., van Dongen, H., Gerding, H., and Bierman, Dick J. Parapsychologists about parapsychology. Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie, 1986, 54(4), 47-58. fo honor of the departure of Prof. H. van Praag 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, André. Scientism. Revue Francaise 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.L. 02992. Chauvin, Rémy. Change of speed in freezing water seemingly due 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 ~~ Bortel’s experiments (Archiv der Meteorologie, Geophysik und Bioklimatologie, 1954, 5, 25-257). Test tubes 10 cm long 6 mm id. with 4 cm long 2 mm id. 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 controf ones. Next, the experiment was repeated but with some tubes encased in tin, others in aluminum, and still others in mu metal foil. The Mann-Whitney U and Student's ¢ test were used in the statistical evaluation. Significant results were found on the aluminum-encased tubes only. The author finds this most interesting, because no screen has ever been found effective in psi experiments. - A.L ; 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 50 years? Since 1940 the procedures of the American school have been uscful only for testing the psi capacitics 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). - AL GERMAN LANGUAGE (Editors: Gerd H. Hivelmann and Alexander Imich, Ph.D.) GRENZGEBIETE DER WISSENSCHAFT 02994. Honoré, Jean. True and false phenomena. Grenzgebiete 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. _ Grenzgebiete der Wissenschaft, 1987, 36(1), 14- '  Psi-days--lectures, seminars, and healing demonstrations-were given during the Swiss Samples Fair from 10/30/86 to 11/2/86. The following forms of exotic psi were presented: witches and witchcraft, the witching power -“Mangu,” ethnopharmacology of various plants (henbane, toadstool, ayahuasca, hashish, and deathspell), anthropology and parapsychology, reincarnation, and paranormal healing in various cultures (Philippines, Poland, India). - A. 02996. Schliz, Mathias. Consciousness transformation and the scientific understanding of nature. Grenzgebiete 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 reach 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}; (¢) philosophical and pragmatic coasequences (paranormal. phenomena, higher reality); and (f) closing remarks. - AL 02997. Zori, Maria, and Zorl, Fl. Biodetection, a Approved For Release 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000701050002-3