PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
When the Society for Psychical Research (S.P.R.) was founded in 1882 research into phenomena and experiences suggesting personal survival of man after death took a high priority. Its findings were constantly under fire from the scientific establishment, which frowned even upon the notion psychical research being considered a science – after all paranormal phenomena did not exist at all! A belief still cherished.
Investigators of the S.P.R. became so influenced by these attacks and were so eager to find favour in the eyes of their antagonists that they began to take over their condemning attitude. A common psychological trait – the oppressed identifying themselves with the worst characteristics of their tormentors.
Supernatural phenomena are still being dismissed by the academic community. Influenced by recent breaktroughs leading to an explanation of some mysteries, they have come to the conclusion that science will explain all eventually.
Scientists, who would not dare to trespass in fields outside their speciality for fear of being torn apart by fellow academics, feel free to make all sorts of pronouncements in the media on subjects in the domain of parapsychological research, of which they have no knowledge whatsoever.
An exception should be made for those scientists – amongst them Nobel prize winners – who have endaevoured to research in an objective manner phenomena that suggest continuance of life after death for almost 150 years.
Like in all other areas of science, parapsychology has narrowed down its research to specialist sectors, hardly anyone daring to voice an opinion on general issues.
