Which theory may explain the paranormal?

[forests]

I have started this as a serious thread to discuss the theories of how so called "paranormal phenomena" operates. What mechanism/s cause such events?

To those who are open to PSI existing. Which theory do you believe may explain PSI (paranormal phenomena) such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, near-death experiences or apparitions etc?

John Beloff a well known parapsychologist concluded that PSI occurs becuase of dualism ie the mind and brain are separate. Amit Goswami however in his book "The Self-Aware Universe", lists some studies on quantum physics that may lead to an explanation of psi that agrees with the theory of a nonphysical and conceptual world. He explains that in quantum physics, objects are not seen as definite things. Instead, objects are possibilities, viewed as something called "possibility waves". Of course his interpretation due to his research in quantum physics has lead him to formulate idealistic monism, that only consciousness exists in the universe and everything is part of it, he argues against dualism and materialism.

Others however have disagreed and put forward physical and materialistic theories to try and explain PSI.

Michael Persinger claims that much of paranormal phenomena can be explained by low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves.

Brian Josephson has claimed that the explanation of PSI may be found in quantum physics. Gerald Feinberg's concept of a tachyon, a theoretical particle that travels faster than the speed of light has been advocated by some parapsychologists who claim that it could explain some PSI phenomena.

Charles Tart however believes PSI is completey non-physical and does not operate to material laws.

There are many theories which try and explain PSI. Which one do you advocate and why? If any?

If there are some responses to this thread, I will post up my collected list of theories of PSI. I have managed to find quite alot. Theres everything from space-time dimensional theories, to electomagnetic, plasma, wave theories... and many others!

[Xanth]

Charles Tart however believes PSI is completey non-physical and does not operate to material laws.

What is the "material laws" that we seem to think we know, aren't laws at all?  Perhaps they're not only easily broken... but they're not even standard or uniform across this reality.

I believe "Psi" (as you put it) to be those irregularities.

[Volgerle]

Tom Campbell calls it the "psi uncertainty principle". Psi is the breaking of the "ruleset" of this physical matter reality, which can be always done from a subjective point of view, but it's much harder be done in an objectifiable way. Objectivity, however, is the basis of today's mainstream science paradigm. That's why it is giving a hard-time to hard-nosed scientists based on the materialistic paradigm.
This paradigm still claims objectivity which is not possible when it comes to psi, the paranormal or meta-physics and the "larger reality" in general, as different rulesets apply, which encompass and "overrule" the rulesets that we have here in our 4D-reality. Actually those rulesets are even the basis for the rulesets and reality we experience "here" in this dimension.
Of course, you can do objectified research with psi under lab conditioons, as is shown by many good scientists such as Jahn, Tart, Schwartz, Sheldrake or Radin. As it challenges the paradigm they are mostly ignored or ridiculed by the closed-mindeds and skeptics.

[proyect_outzone]

I think the paranormal is not the breaking of any physical laws. The paranormal is just the result of some additional still not known "physical laws".

There are several experiences which are hints for it.

-Several visible energy experiences are reminicent of magnetic fields
-their respective tactile energy experiences feel and behave also like magnetic fields
-Several others visible energy experiences are reminicent of waves

[forests]

What is the "material laws" that we seem to think we know, aren't laws at all?  Perhaps they're not only easily broken... but they're not even standard or uniform across this reality.

I believe "Psi" (as you put it) to be those irregularities.

I don't think we need to question material laws, they have been confirmed as scientifically factual after extensive empirical tests and observations  for years. Material laws are not going to be broken and we are not going to ignore them just to account for some paranormal phenomena.

If PSI exists (And I do believe some it does) then there has to be a physical explanation otherwise it can not exist.

This paradigm still claims objectivity which is not possible when it comes to psi, the paranormal or meta-physics and the "larger reality" in general, as different rulesets apply, which encompass and "overrule" the rulesets that we have here in our 4D-reality. Actually those rulesets are even the basis for the rulesets and reality we experience "here" in this dimension.

This is wrong in my opinion. As I said if PSI exists then it should be able to be explained physically, we don't need loads of different rules.

I think the paranormal is not the breaking of any physical laws. The paranormal is just the result of some additional still not known "physical laws".

I agree with that. But in some if not alot of cases perhaps some of these physical laws are even known. The majority of paranormal phenomena may be explainable due to electromagnetism for example.

good scientists such as Jahn, Tart, Schwartz, Sheldrake or Radin.

I think Sheldrake is a serious scientist, but the rest can be forgotten. Charles Tart seems to think none of PSI can be explained physically, he belives PSI is non-physical in nature, this is what has caused the downfall of parapsychology, the skeptics must love it, they can then easily dismiss PSI as pseudoscience. Schwartz also does not advocate anything scientific instead hes doing spiritual assumptions. I am not sure who Jahn is? Robert G. Jahn?

[majour ka]

Unfortunately the word paranormal tends to conjure up suspicion, fear and superstition.

It has been agreed by scientists the world over that what we perceive as the world is an illusion of the senses and all matter is energy vibrating at various frequencies.... energy cannot be destroyed only transmuted....which helps us begin to understand the essence of eternal life beyond the physical.

Furthermore more neuro scientists have conceded that the brain must be the receiver of consciousness not the creator of consciousness...which then means there is a power prior to and beyond the physical aspect of a human being or other sentient creature. Why cant we find it? because that which is seeking it is it...light trying to find a light..with a light.

All we experience, including dreams, clairvoyance OBEs etc is as a direct result of our level of consciousness...when we consider the clarity of mind of some one who is drunk, or excitably happy, or sleep or angry then ..compare it to some on who has perfected the art of meditation and has detached themselves from all stress and is in a deep state of contentment and bliss....imagine how their dreams, understanding of life and emotions, creative potential and perception of self might be and then we might begin to see how all experience and perception is as a direct result of awakening our conciseness through enlightenment...ie greater awareness of our subtle self or also known as our own being, or spirit....we than start feel, see and know at the deepest level that all life...all existence has one creative connecting force behind it....some call that god.

[forests]

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Furthermore more neuro scientists have conceded that the brain must be the receiver of consciousness not the creator of consciousness

sorry.. but this is total nonsence, can you name one neuro scientist or scientific publication that supports that position? The majority of neuro scientists are in agreement that consciousness is a result of the brain. We can;t start making things about about science.

[Stillwater]

I don't think we need to question material laws, they have been confirmed as scientifically factual after extensive empirical tests and observations  for years. Material laws are not going to be broken and we are not going to ignore them just to account for some paranormal phenomena.

If PSI exists (And I do believe some it does) then there has to be a physical explanation otherwise it can not exist.

Hi forests, and welcome to the forums!

I think it might be good to point out that there may be some misunderstandings about how science works.

For one, nothing in science is above question- science doubts by nature, it must or it would never progress; to say that the physical laws were beyond question would be merely to institute a dogma, and that is one of the chief things science seeks to avoid.

Most scientific theories are arrived at by inductive reasoning- you take enough varied occurences and examples, and try to reason out a general rule or law that explains them all; this is a necessary tool for science to make postulations, but those who understand scientific method also understand that you can only prove things by deduction, where you go from general known laws or facts and reason out a necessary conclusion. The conclusions of induction, on the other hand, are not necessary, only aparent. We gather enough data, and we postulate what the data seems to imply; by the very nature of how these theories are created inductively, they are inherently questionable, and furthermore MUST constantly be questioned for science to develop. No amount of data or measurements is sufficient to prove a theory for good- theories may only be supported by data.

The other important thing to note, is that not only is it wise to question a law if there seems to be an exception, it is the ONLY thing to do! Physical laws, by defintion are immutable (or they would not be laws); if even one exception to a law is found, and is replicable, it is proof enough that the supposed law is actually not a law at all, and needs ammendment, or generalization of some kind. If it really were true that some real and clinically measurable mental phenonomena don't follow known physical laws, our views of these laws must be ammended, as we would then know them not to be laws in their current forms.

[zareste]

Most phenomena people call 'paranormal' are just electromagnetism in action. Elementary wave streams. Certain cults have their media outlets call electromagnetism paranormal and say scientists don't believe in it.

PSI is a concentration of elementary waves being directed by your fields. Every solid object creates a field due to the way it interacts with wave streams, and the human body is geared to alter streams arbitrarily. That's how PSI works. Esoteric guides to telekinesis hint at this, saying you altering streams from the air around you and use that to move objects (the guides don't generally state how telekinesis ties in with science, but they know what they know) Elementary wave streams are also what chi is.

One phenomenon that's harder to explain with mainstream science is the quantum template. When you astral project, you create a quantum template for a body, then concentrate wave streams and plasma to the template, causing the new body to instantiate, then you transfer your mind data (a set electrostatic fields) to the new body. While the electromagnetic aspect of astral projection is easy to explain, the quantum template isn't. The template is an object that really isn't an object. It seems to exist without material, but when plasma hits it, the plasma sticks, and that's how the template becomes a material object. Zetans use this to produce new bodies, and even they seem to have trouble explaining it in physical terms.

[CFTraveler]

As I said if PSI exists then it should be able to be explained physically, we don't need loads of different rules.

So explain why in physics there is no unified rule?
The fact is, we don't know enough about the universe to have a grand unification theory, so I can't imagine why, if this isn't true about what we 'think' we know, why you'd think it should be applied to what we don't know.

[embrace]

The phenomena you mentioned are all very different in nature, and I believe they require many different scientific theories to explain.